Col. Vianesa Vargas is Commander, 459th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md. She is responsible for supporting the mission of the 459th Air Refueling Wing through a variety of functions including infrastructure, logistics, personnel, and security. The colonel is a career logistician, leading diverse teams at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels in logistics planning, acquisitions, aerial port operations, and requirements.
Col. Vargas received her commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Grambling State University, La. As a captain, she led operations at the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, winning, Best Aerial Port in the Department of Defense. Her academic research on the legacy of the Confederacy in the Army garnered her the Matthew B. Ridgway Award for Writing Excellence. Additionally, Col. Vargas taught the senior logistics course for the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Prior to arriving at Joint Base Andrews, Col. Vargas was Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center at the United States Transportation Command. As Chief, she integrated mobility operations and provided operational oversight of worldwide air, sea, and land transportation across the globe supporting all geographic and functional combatant commands. She led several overseas deployments, and commanded the 82d Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., for her previous command tour.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Biology, Grambling State University, La.
2000 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Squadron Officer School in residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Arts, Communication, University of Oklahoma, Okla.
2013 Certificate in Advanced Graduate Studies, Health Psychology, Northcentral University, Ariz.
2014 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2019 Air War College by correspondence
2020 Army War College in residence, Carlisle, Pa.
2020 Master’s in Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.March 1999 - March 2001, Flight Commander, then Wing Exercise Planner, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2.March 2001 – February 2004, Chief of Logistics, Spacelift Range Systems Contract, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
3.February 2004 – February 2005, Aerial Port Flight Commander, 615th Air Mobility Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
4.February 2005 – October 2005, Wing Executive Officer, 615th Contingency Response Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
5.November 2005 – July 2007, Squadron Operations Officer, 60th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
6.July 2007 – May 2008, Action Officer, then Assistant Executive Officer, Logistics Directorate, Directorate of Logistics, Logistics Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
7. May 2008 – June 2009, Air Force Support Agreements Manager, Plans and Programs Division, Directorate of Logistics, Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
8. August 2009 – September 2012, Individual Mobilization Assistant for the Division Chief, Plans and Programs Division, Directorate of Logistics, Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
9. September 2012 – October 2015, Individual Mobilization Assistant for the Division Chief, Force Development and Organizations, Directorate of Logistics, Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
10. October 2015 – October 2017, 82nd Aerial Port Squadron Commander, 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
11. October 2017 – July 2019, 315th Deputy Mission Support Group Commander, 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston AFB, S.C.
12. July 2019 – June 2020, Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
13. June 2020 – April 2023, Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. April 2023 – Current, 459th Mission Support Group Commander, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 22, 1998
First Lieutenant July 22, 2000
Captain July 22, 2002
Major May 1, 2008
Lt Colonel May 1, 2015
Colonel June 6, 2020
(Current as of August 2023)