Major Brian Blanco is a native of Chicago, Illinois, living in the Chicago-land area throughout his childhood graduating High School from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 2007. After graduating, he attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois with a Bachelor's of Arts with a focus on History and Secondary Education in May 2011.
In January 2012, Major Blanco reported to Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in March 2012. Following commissioning, he attended The Basic Officer Course, graduating in December 2012.
Major Blanco reported to MATSG-21 at NAS Pensacola, FL in January 2013 for Naval Flight Training. Throughout flight training Major Blanco completed Primary Flight training with VT-6 at NAS Whiting Field, FL, selecting the Rotary Wing pipeline. In April 2014 he promoted to First Lieutenant and continued Advanced Helicopter Flight Training with HT-8. On 7 November 2014 Major Blanco was designated a Naval Aviator and reported to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron (HMLA/T) - 303 at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in November 2014 for follow-on training as an AH-1Z Viper Cobra Pilot.
In May 2015 Major Blanco was assigned to HMLA-169 where he initially served as an Operations Schedule Writer. After promoting to Captain in November 2016 he deployed to Okinawa, Japan from May to November 2017 in support of Unit Deployment Program 17.2 as the squadron Embarkation Officer. Upon return from deployment Major Blanco served as the AH-1Z Flight Officer before being selected to attend the Aviation Safety Officer Course and assuming the role as the squadron ASO. Major Blanco then deployed again in April 2019 as a part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) (REIN) - 265 as part of the 31st MEU.
In June 2020, Major Blanco received orders to HMLA-269 at MCAS New River, North Carolina for additional duties as an AH-1Z pilot, serving as the AH-1Z Flight Officer before assuming the role as the AH-1Z Pilot Training Officer. Major Blanco was nominated for and graduated from the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 21-2. After graduation from WTI, Major Blanco continued serving as the AH-1Z PTO until transitioning to the role as the squadron Quality Assurance Officer and promoting to Major in February 2022. Major Blanco was then selected and received orders to act as an Air Officer at Marine Special Operations Command. At the end of his tour at HMLA-269 Major Blanco held qualifications which included Air Mission Commander, Forward Air Controller (Airborne) Instructor, Fixed and Rotary Defensive Air Combat Maneuvering Instructor, NATOPS Instructor, and Functional Check Pilot Standardization Evaluator.
In August 2020 Major Blanco reported to MARSOC as the Marine Raider Support Group Air Officer until being re-assigned in January 2023 to Marine Special Operations Company - C as the Air/Fires-Effects Officer. Maj Blanco then deployed in February 2024 to Somalia in support of OPERATION OCTAVE QUARTZ/SHIELD executing combat operations as part of Joint Special Operations Task Force - Somalia.
In October 2024 Major Blanco reported to HMLA-167 where he served as the Director of Safety and Standardization and Operations Officer until assuming his current billet as the Executive Officer in April 2026.
Major Blanco is a graduate of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School (Non-Resident), Naval Command and Staff Course (Non-Resident) Naval War College, Tactical Air Control Party, Information Operations Practitioner Course, and the Joint Targeting School. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (x3), and Arctic Service Ribbon.