Capt. Brandon R Hults is Operations Officer and Associate Conductor of the United States Air Force Academy Band, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. He is responsible to the Commander for organizing, training, equipping, and deploying 60 Airmen in 10 different musical configurations throughout a nine-state region of more than 869,000 square miles in addition to supporting the U.S. Air Force Academy’s recruiting mission throughout the 48 contiguous states. The band performs over 400 missions annually that support U.S. Air Force and U.S. Air Force Academy outreach and engagement priorities to increase public understanding of the importance of airpower, the dedication and sacrifice of Airmen, and to build relationships that enhance the reputation of the Air Force as a respected, professional organization charged with an integral role in maintaining U.S. national security.
Originally from Morehead City, North Carolina, Capt. Hults graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Education degree with an emphasis in piano and trombone from East Carolina University in 2008. After his undergraduate studies, Capt. Hults served as the director of bands for New Bern High School, New Bern, NC. In 2011 he was offered a graduate assistantship to the University of Arkansas where he completed a Master of Music degree in wind conducting and piano performance. For the next four years, Capt. Hults served as the Associate Director of Bands for Bentonville High School in Bentonville, AR, followed by his doctoral coursework in wind conducting at Michigan State University under the guidance of Dr. Kevin Sedatole. He is writing his dissertation.
Capt Hults entered the Air Force in January 2018 and subsequently commissioned from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base that March and began his Air Force Bands career with the Band of Mid-America, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Under Capt. Hults’s leadership, musicians and ensembles have been featured at multiple national and state music conferences, performed with internationally renowned ensembles to include the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Boston Brass, and The Prince of Denmark’s Band, as well as collaborated with award winning artists such as Trisha Yearwood, James Taylor, Trombone Shorty, Andy Akiho, Eric Whitacre, and William Shatner. He has enjoyed conducting at The Kennedy Center alongside Dr. Craig Jessop for the National Memorial Day Choral Festival, the White House on many occasions ranging from Garden Tours to the National Menorah and Christmas Tree Lighting, and at the Library of Congress for the 100th year anniversary of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Simone Dinnerstein at the piano. In addition to his Air Force duties, Capt. Hults keeps an active guest conducting schedule with young musicians and professionals, alike. He is a committed advocate for music education, participating in masterclasses and clinics, nationwide, for students ranging from beginners to young professionals. Prior to his current position, Capt Hults was a Flight Commander and Associate Conductor for The United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Music Education, Magna Cum Laude, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
2011 Master of Music, Wind Conducting, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR.
2017 Doctor of Musical Arts (ABD), Wind Conducting, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
2018 Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2019 Public Affairs Qualifying Course, Defense Information School, Ft Meade, MD
2025 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
ASSIGNMENTS
January 2018 – March 2018, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
March 2018 – November 2020, Flight Commander, USAF Band of Mid-America, Scott AFB, IL
November 2020 – June 2025, Flight Commander, The USAF Band, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
(April 2021 – October 2021, Officer in Charge, Air Forces Central Band, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
(April 2024 – October 2024, Officer in Charge, Air Forces Central Band, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
July 2025 – Present, Operations Officer, The USAF Academy Band, Peterson Space Force Base, CO
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air and Space Longevity Service Award