Regan's career in intelligence busy, but average

Senior officers described Regan's number and variety of awards as average.

From Chris Plante
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The retired Air Force sergeant charged with espionage Friday spent 20 busy but modest years working in military intelligence around the world, according to senior enlisted Air Force personnel who reviewed his record for CNN.

Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Brian Regan appeared Friday in federal court, where he was charged with espionage after the FBI followed tips from "reliable sources" and found pages of codes, list of phone numbers and addresses, and global positioning devices when they arrested him Thursday.

Regan retired from the Air Force last August as a senior non-commissioned officer with the rank of master sergeant, and was working on a government contract relating to spy satellites at the time of his arrest.

Military records indicate that Regan entered the Air Force in Brooklyn, New York, in August of 1980.

VIDEO Brian Regan, who worked for the U.S. spy satellite agency, was arrested as he attempted to board a flight for Switzerland (August 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES Ex-Air Force sergeant charged with espionage     EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: High-profile U.S. spy cases of the last two decades   From FindLaw: Criminal Complaint (U.S. v. Regan)  (Adobe Acrobat required)     LEGAL RESOURCES Latest Legal News Law Library FindLaw Consumer Center Select a topic Bankruptcy Discrimination Divorce Estate Planning Landlord-Tenant Personal Injury Taxes

Early in his military career, Regan was assigned to a number of Air Force "electronic security" intelligence units. He was stationed in Greece, Korea, Hawaii and Texas before taking an assignment with the Air Force Intelligence Agency in the Washington area.

Following two more stints with intelligence units at the Pentagon, Regan was assigned to "Detachment 5, 544th Intelligence Group with duty at National Reconnaissance Office" in Washington, according to a document provided by the Air Force.

The number and variety of medals Regan was awarded during his 20 years of service are considered by other senior non-commissioned Air Force officers to be average. The awards include a number of good conduct medals and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

The accusations laid out in an affidavit Friday, however, describe Regan very differently. Among other things, the court papers accuse Regan of "transmitting classified U.S. national defense information to a person he believed was an agent of a foreign government."

Regan is in jail until at least Wednesday, when a bond hearing is scheduled.