Randolph Bresnik

Infobox Astronaut
name =Randolph James Bresnik

---

type =NASA Astronaut
status =Active
nationality =American
date_birth =birth date and age|1967|9|11
place_birth =Fort Knox, Kentucky
occupation =Fighter pilot
rank =Lieutenant Colonel, USMC
selection =2004 NASA Group
time =
mission =
insignia =

Randolph James "Randy" Bresnik (born September 11, 1967) is a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, a pilot, and a NASA astronaut.Cite web|url=http://www11.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/bresnik-rj.html|title=Randolph J. Bresnik (Lieutenant Colonel, USMC)|accessyear=2008|accessmonthday=September 2|publisher=NASA|year=2008|author=National Aeronautics and Space Administration] In May 2004, Bresnik was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19.cite web|accessdate=2007-04-22 |url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/04class.html
title=Astronaut Class of 2004 (Group 19)|date=February 13, 2006
work=Astronaut Biographies|publisher=NASA|author=NASA] Bresnik completed his Astronaut Candidate Training in February 2006.

Biography

Bresnik was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky but considers Santa Monica, California to be his hometown. He is married to Rebecca Burgin of Pompton Plains, New Jersey.

Bresnik graduated from Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California, in 1985. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from The Citadel in 1989, and later a Master of Science degree in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2002. His Father's cousin's son is Robert Bresnik.

Marine Corps service

In May 1989, Bresnik received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps from the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at The Citadel. After graduation he attended The Basic School (TBS) and Infantry Officers Course (IOC) in Quantico, Virginia. Following Aviation Indoctrination and Primary flight training in Pensacola, Florida, he entered Intermediate and Advanced flight training in Beeville, Texas, and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1992.

Bresnik then reported to the Navy Fighter/Attack Training Squadron VFA-106, Naval Air Station Cecil Field, for initial F/A-18 training. Upon completion of training he reported to Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron, VMFA-212 at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, then MCAS El Toro, California, and additionally MCAS Miramar, California, where he made three overseas deployments to the Western Pacific. While assigned to VMFA-212, he attended the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course (WTI) and Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN).

Bresnik was selected for U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and began the course in January 1999. After graduation in December 1999, he was assigned as a F/A-18 Test Pilot/Project Officer at the Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (NSATS). While at Strike, Bresnik flew the F/A-18 A-D and F/A-18 E/F in all manners of flight test.

In January 2001, he returned to the USNTPS as a Fixed-Wing and Systems Flight Instructor, where he instructed in the F/A-18, T-38, and T-2. Bresnik returned to NSATS in January 2002 to continue flight test on the F/A-18 A-F as the Platform/Project Coordinator.

In November 2002, he reported to Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) as the Future Operations Officer. In January 2003, MAG-11 deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait. From Al Jaber, he flew combat missions in the F/A-18 with VMFA(AW)-225 in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bresnik was the Operations Officer of VMFA-232 when he was selected for the astronaut program.

NASA service

Bresnik was selected by NASA in May 2004 as an astronaut candidate. He was one of two pilots chosen in the Astronaut Class of 2004. In February 2006, he completed Astronaut Candidate Training.

ee also

References

"This article incorporates text in the public domain from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration."

External links

*cite web|url=http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/astronauts/english/bresnik_randolph.htm
title=Astronaut Biography: Randolph Bresnik
work=Biographies of U.S. Astronauts
publisher=Spacefacts

*cite web|accessdate=2007-04-22|url=http://www.astronautix.com/astros/bresnik.htm
title=Astronaut Biography: Bresnik|work=Encyclopedia Astronautica