 His notable staff tours include aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; director, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group; and deputy director, operations, U.S. Central Command.He also served as a national defense fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, VA.

Brown has commanded a fighter squadron, the United States Air Force Weapons School, and two fighter wings.Prior to his current assignment, he served as director, operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe—Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.