LtCol Brandon Busch was commissioned through Officer Candidates School in 2004 with an aviation contract. Following The Basic School graduation, he attended flight school at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma and Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida.
Upon receiving his wings, 1stLt Busch selected CH-53Ds at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. Enroute to Hawaii, 1stLt Busch earned his CH-53E qualification at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
Once in Hawaii, 1stLt Busch was assigned as the assistant S-1, S-5, and Legal Officer in the HMH-363 Red Lions. He was promoted to Captain and in 2008, the Red Lions deployed to Al Asad Air Base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While deployed, Capt Busch qualified as an Aircraft Commander and flew combat missions throughout the deployment.
Following the Iraq deployment, Capt Busch moved internally in the Red Lions, becoming the Officer in Charge of Airframes, Hazardous Materials, and Flight Equipment. Traveling back and forth from Hawaii, he completed pre-deployment training in Yuma, Arizona and Twenty Nine Palms, California. He then moved back to the S-Shops, becoming the S-4 officer.
In early 2010, the Red Lions deployed to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. Capt Busch continued flying combat missions and earned his Functional Check Pilot qualification.
Following the deployment, Capt Busch was assigned to Recruiting Station Baltimore as the Operations Officer and served for two years before departing active duty in 2013.
Upon joining the reserves, Maj Busch was assigned as the Air Officer for 2-24 in Chicago, Illinois. He spent one year there before transferring to 6th ANGLICO in Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. While at 6th, he served as a SALT lead and the Executive Officer. He completed TACP school and Basic Airborne Course.
In 2021, he was promoted to LtCol and transferred to MARFORCOM at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Virginia, where he served as the Future Operations Officer in the Maritime Fires and Effect Center at Fleet Forces/NAVNORTH. In 2024, he was activated and assigned as the Lead Planner for the Democratic National Convention for MARFORNORTH.
LtCol Busch is a graduate of several military schools and courses, including Command and Staff and the Joint Operational Fires and Effects Course. LtCol Busch's personal awards include the Air Medal with numeral four, the Navy Commendation Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from Creighton University and an Associates Degree in Pastry Arts from Johnson and Wales.