Lieutenant Colonel Brian E. Heeter currently serves as the Executive Officer of The Basic School. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in December 2002 as an Air Support Operations Operator. In November 2003, he reported to Marine Air Support Squadron Six (MASS-6) Detachment A aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar. While assigned to MASS-6 Detachment A, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 2.2 from July 2004 to February 2005, where he served in the Direct Air Support Center (DASC), DASC (Airborne), and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Air Support Element. From March 2007 to September 2007, he deployed to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti with the 6th Provisional Security Company as a provisional rifleman. Sergeant Heeter was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in December 2008.
In May 2009, he reported to The Basic School. Following The Basic School, he reported to Naval Aviation Schools Command, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, Primary and Advanced flight training. In September 2011, First Lieutenant Heeter was designated a Naval Aviator and was selected for the CH-46E Sea Knight. In November 2011, First Lieutenant Heeter reported to Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164 aboard MCAS Camp Pendleton for initial training in the CH-46E and served as the squadrons Assistant Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization Officer and S-4 Officer. Captain Heeter began his transition to the MV-22B Osprey in April 2013.
Captain Heeter reported to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261 aboard MCAS New River in September 2013 and served as the Embark Officer and Airframes Division Officer. From January 2014 to October 2014, he deployed to Afghanistan and Kuwait in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. From July 2015 to February 2016, he deployed to Moron, Spain in support of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response Africa 15.2.
In August 2016, Captain Heeter reported to Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (3/6), 24th MEU, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, where he served as a Forward Air Controller (FAC). From February 2017 to October 2017, he deployed with BLT 3/6 in support of 24th MEU Operations and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.
Captain Heeter reported to VMM-365 in November 2017 and served as the Quality Assurance Officer. As a Major, he served as VMM-365’s Director of Safety and Standardization and the Aircraft Maintenance Officer. From December 2019 to July 2020 Major Heeter deployed with VMM-365 (REIN) in support of the 26th MEU. In July 2021, Major Heeter reported to HQMC Aviation Department and was assigned to the Cunningham Group – Future Concepts and Capabilities cell until June 2024. During this tour, he managed Marine Aviation’s Future Vertical Takeoff and Landing Development Portfolio and was a key contributor in the development and implementation of Project EAGLE.
Lieutenant Colonel Heeter holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance from San Diego State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.