Ch, Col William J. Braswell is the Command Chaplain, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. As a member of the HQ ACC Special Staff, he advises the ACC Commander on all aspects of the Chaplain Corps mission and on all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of ACC Airmen. He directs a headquarters staff that provides functional oversight to more than 225 Chaplain Corps members at 35 wings and 12 bases, supporting 1,336 units at over 242 operating locations worldwide. Additionally, he develops policies, plans, readiness, and contingency requirements, ensuring ACC Religious Support Teams are organized, trained, equipped, and ready for rapid deployment and employment. As the Command Chaplain, he is responsible for establishing spiritual resiliency programs that meet the diverse religious needs of 156,739 combat-ready air, space, cyber, and intelligence Total Force Airmen and their dependents.
Chaplain Braswell is a graduate of Regent University School of Divinity (Seminary) and served as a pastor for eight years before receiving a direct commission and entering active duty in 2001. He has served as an Installation chaplain, Deputy Wing Chaplain and Wing Chaplain at a variety of locations to include Georgia, Kuwait, Alaska, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Germany, Afghanistan, New Mexico, Korea, and Colorado.
Chaplain Braswell is an ordained minister and endorsed to the military chaplaincy by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Prior to his current position, he was the Command Chaplain for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson SFB, CO. In this capacity, he led a Joint and bi-national Religious Affairs office responsible for coordinating religious support for assigned forces and providing religious advisement concerning the impact of religion on military operations to the Commander and staff of NORAD and USNORTHCOM. Additionally, he developed and exercised religious affairs annexes to CONPLANS and OPLANS in coordination with U.S. Components, NORAD Regions, and subordinate Joint Task Force Commands.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, Holmes Bible College, Greenville, S.C.
2000 Master of Divinity, Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Doctor of Ministry in Military Chaplaincy, Columbia International University, Columbia, S.C.
2012 Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Texas A&M University – Central Texas, Killeen
2012 Army Family Life Chaplain Training Course, Fort Hood, Texas
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 2001 – May 2004, Chaplain, 78th Air Base Wing, Robins Air Force Base (AFB), Ga. (July 2003 - August 2003, Chaplain, 486th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Minhad Air Base (AB), United Arab Emirates) (August 2003 –October 2003, Senior Chaplain, 486th AEW, Al-Jabber AB, Kuwait)
2. June 2004 – June 2005, Installation Chaplain, 13th Space Warning Squadron, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska
3. June 2005 – July 2008, Chaplain, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
4. August 2008 – April 2011, Chaplain, 70th ISR Wing, Fort George Meade, Md.
5. May 2011 – August 2012, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology – Texas A&M University- Central Texas (Army
Family Life Chaplain Training Course, Fort Hood, Texas)
6. August 2012 – August 2015, Branch Chief, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany (October 2014 – April 2015,
Deputy Wing Chaplain 455th AEW, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
7. August 2015 – April 2016, Deputy Wing Chaplain, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
8. April 2016 – June 2018 Wing Chaplain, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
9. June 2018 – June 2019 Wing Chaplain, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base Republic of Korea
10. July 2019 – April 2021, Deputy Command Chaplain, U.S. Forces Korea, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea
11. April 2021 – January 2024, Command Chaplain, North American Aerospace Defense Command & U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
12. January 2024 – Present, Command Chaplain, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, VA
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2019 -- April 2021, Deputy Command Chaplain, U.S. Forces Korea, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea
2. April 2021 – January 2024, Command Chaplain, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson SFB, CO.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
NATO Medal with one service star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant Dec. 9, 2000
Captain Dec. 9, 2001
Major May 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2017
Colonel March 1, 2021
(CURRENT AS OF JANUARY 2025)