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Major Joseph Hansen

Major Joseph S. Hansen serves as the Commander and Conductor of the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West at Travis Air Force Base, California, a 60-member musical unit comprised of eight different performing groups with a 5-state area of responsibility serving Air Mobility Command.

 

Prior to this command assignment, Major Hansen served as an opinion leader engagement action officer for the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs. He was the think tank engagement advisor and liaison for the Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as well as senior Pentagon and MAJCOM leaders, and was responsible for developing and implementing public support and understanding of Air Force roles and missions.

 

Previously, Major Hansen served as assistant director of operations and flight commander for the United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. During his tenure with the band, he served as officer in charge of the Concert Band, Singing Sergeants, Air Force Strings, and Max Impact as well as overseeing the unit’s marketing, operations, and resource sections.

 

He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2014) and Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel (2018) to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and served as the U.S. Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) Band officer in charge. Through his leadership, deployed bands traveled to Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt and 10 other countries performing for 50,000 military and local audience members on over 250 missions.

 

Major Hansen began his Air Force career in 2009 as deputy commander of the USAF Band of the West at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. In 2011, he planned and directed the band’s first combined concert with the San Antonio Symphony.

 

Prior to joining the Air Force, Major Hansen was a band and orchestra teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated with honors from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education in 2006. He went on to complete his Master of Music degree from Southern Oregon University through the American Band College in 2009. Major Hansen graduated with Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Education from Boston University in 2021. 

EDUCATION
2006- Bachelors of Music with Honors, K-12 Music Education, Brigham Young University
2009- Master of Music, Southern Oregon University
2009- Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010- Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013- Public Affairs Officer Qualification Course, Defense Information
School, Ft Meade, MD
2015- Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2021- Doctorate of Musical Arts, Boston University 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2009 – February 2014, Deputy Commander, USAF Band of the West, Joint Base San Antonio, TX
2. February 2014 – August 2014, Officer in Charge, AFCENT Band, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
3. September 2014 – August 2015, Flight Commander, USAF Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, DC
4. August 2015 – July 2016, Assistant Director of Operations, USAF Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, DC
5. July 2016 – January 2018, Team Lead, Opinion Leader Engagement, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs, Pentagon, DC
6. January 2018 – August 2018, Officer in Charge, AFCENT Band, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
7. September 2018 – Present, Commander, USAF Band of the Golden West, Travis AFB, CA 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant- Oct 2009
First Lieutenant- Oct 2011
Captain- Oct 2013

Major- Aug 2019

(current as of 2022)