Lieutenant Colonel Alex S. MacLean is the Chief of E-3A Aircrew Training Branch, Headquarters NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control, SHAPE, Belgium. He leads and manages multiple training programs, to include synthetic training devices, for the NATO aircrews assigned to operate Alliance’s 17 E-3A/AWACS aircraft. As the branch chief, he is responsible for identifying critical E-3A training shortfalls and pursuing material and non-material solutions to ensure future relevancy for future operations. Additionally, he coordinates E-3A participation in experimental training exercises in which test initiatives are organized with acquisition and industrial partners. Lieutenant Colonel MacLean was commissioned in 1999 through the Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. A Senior Air Battle Manager with more than 2,000 hours in the E-3A and E-3B/C, Lieutenant Colonel MacLean has flown in and supported numerous contingency operations including Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.