Colonel Brian D. McLean enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1992 and was commissioned as an Officer of Marines in 1998 through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program.

After serving as an Arabic linguist, his officer career has been as an aviation command and control officer.  His previous command assignments include duty as the commanding officer of Marine Air Control Squadron 1 (MACS-1); during his command tour, the squadron was named the 2018 Marine Corps Aviation Association Command and Control Unit of the Year.  He also served as the Tactical Air Operations Center Detachment Commander, and later as the forward-deployed Headquarters Detachment Commander, for MACS-1.

Colonel McLean’s staff positions include: Air Defense Control Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, and Weapons and Tactics Instructor at MACS-1; instructor duty in the Air Defense Training Section at Marine Corps Communications Electronics School and as a Military Faculty Advisor at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College; Foreign Area Officer for Regimental Combat Team 1; Executive Officer tours with Marine Air Control Group 38 (MACG-38) (Forward), 3d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, and Marine Air Support Squadron 3; Operations Officer, MACG-38; and, Headquarters Marine Corps assignments as the Aviation Ground Majors Monitor, Officer Assignments Branch, and most recently, as the Deputy Director, C4 Division, Deputy Commandant for Information.

Colonel McLean is a Weapons and Tactics Instructor and Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor.  He is also a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and of the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in Middle East and North Africa Studies from the University of Michigan, a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from National Defense University.  Colonel McLean deployed to the Middle East five times at locations including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars and combat distinguishing device, and the Combat Action Ribbon.