Major Ljunggren hails from Austin, Texas. He attended Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas where he graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He reported to Officer Candidate School in the fall of 2008 where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. Second Lieutenant Ljunggren immediately executed follow on orders to The Basic School where he completed the Basic Officers Course in October 2009.
Upon completion of The Basic School, 2ndLt Ljunggren managed the Introductory Flight School (IFS) program while waiting to start Advanced Preflight Indoctrination (API). In 2010 he reported to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field where he completed API and Primary Flight Training with VT-2, selecting MV-22s. Following selection, now First Lieutenant Ljunggren completed the helicopter indoctrination at HT-28 before reporting to NAS Corpus Christi for multi-engine training with VT-35, where he was winged as a Naval Aviator in November 2011.
After winging, 1stLt Ljunggren reported to VMMT-204 in January 2012 aboard MCAS New River for MV-22 training. At the completion of the syllabus, he executed follow on orders to VMM-263 where he would be promoted to Captain and serve as Schedule Writer, Flight Officer, Current Operations Officer, Tool Room OIC, and Flightline Division OIC. During this assignment Captain Ljunggren participated in two major deployments; supporting the opening days of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE while part of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in 2014, and Operation OAKEN STEEL in Uganda while supporting Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa in 2016.
In October 2016 Captain Ljunggren reported to MAG-39 aboard MCAS Camp Pendleton and was assigned to VMM-164. While at VMM-164 Captain Ljunggren completed the Expeditionary Warfare School Distance Education Program and served as the Administration Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, and Pilot Training Officer. In 2018 he attended WTI course 2-18 prior to supporting Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command, where he was promoted to Major and participated in Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and APEX TEUFELHUNDEN. Major Ljunggren remained with the squadron to serve as Assistant Operations Officer, Operations Officer, and Aircraft Maintenance Officer in connection with preparing and deploying the squadron as the Aviation Combat Element for the 15th MEU in the fall of 2020. During this deployment Major Ljunggren participated in Operation OCTAVE QUARTZ as part of Joint Task Force Quartz, assisting with the relocation of American forces from Somalia.
Following his return from the MEU, Major Ljunggren executed PCS orders in the fall of 2021 to Headquarters, MAG-26 aboard MCAS New River where he would serve as the MAG Director of Safety and Standardization, Readiness Officer, and Pilot Manpower Officer. During this period Major Ljunggren completed the United States Air Force Command and Staff College Distance Education Program. In June 2023, Major Ljunggren was assigned as the Executive Officer for VMM-263.
Major Ljunggren as accrued over 2100 flight hours and holds multiple qualifications/designations in the MV-22, to include Weapons and Tactics Instructor and Air Mission Commander. His personal decorations include the Air Medal with Strike/Flight Numeral (3), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.