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Captain Christopher R. Brenner

Captain Chris Brenner is from Las Vegas, Nevada.  He was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in May 2000.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus on Quantitative Economics from the Naval Academy.  
 
CAPT Brenner began Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, FL in July 2000.  In May 2002, he successfully completed initial carrier qualification landings in the T-2 Buckeye and was designated a Naval Aviator in Meridian, MS. After getting “winged,” he was attached to the E2/C2 Fleet Readiness Squadron (VAW-120) in Norfolk, VA from June 2002 to December 2003.  After successfully carrier qualifying in the C-2 Greyhound, CAPT Brenner served in Atsugi, Japan from 2004-2007 with VRC-30 Detachment FIVE, attached to the Navy’s only Forward Deployed Naval Force, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) FIVE.
 
Following his tour in Japan, CAPT Brenner returned to VAW-120 from 2007-2009 as a Flight Instructor.  After carrier qualifying in the E-2C Hawkeye, he was selected as a Carrier Air Wing Landing Signals Officer at CVW-14 in Lemoore, CA.  Following a deployment to 5th Fleet aboard USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76) Strike Group and CVW-14 in support of the Afghanistan Campaign, CAPT Brenner successfully qualified in the F/A-18 Super Hornet at VFA-122.
 
From 2011-2013, CAPT Brenner served as an Aviation Department Head at VRC-30 in Coronado, CA and served as the Maintenance Officer, Operations Officer and Detachment Officer-in-Charge (OIC).  As the OIC of Detachment TWO, he was attached to CVW-2 and Carrier Strike Group NINE for their Operation ENDURING FREEDOM deployment from December 2011 to August 2012.
 
From 2013-2014, he was a student in the senior level class at the Naval War College in Newport, RI and earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.  He then went on to serve as an Action Officer in the Joint Strategic Planning Directorate of J-5 on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.
 
His Command tour was from 2017-2020 at VRC-30 in Coronado, CA.  Following Command, CAPT Brenner transitioned to the V-22 aircraft in New River, NC with the Marine Corps at VMMT-204.  Most recently he served as the C-2/CMV-22 requirements officer with N98 at the Pentagon.
 
CAPT Brenner’s decorations include a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards), a Joint Service Achievement Medal, the 2006 Greyhound Pilot of the Year, and the 2010 AIRPAC LSO of the Year.
 
CAPT Brenner is married to the former Brandi Grandinetti of Chantilly, VA who works as a patent attorney.  They have two children: Elle (11) and Jackson (9).

Last Updated: 16 March 2023

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