Col. Vianesa Vargas is Commander, 459th Mission Support Group at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. She is responsible for supporting the mission of the 459th Air Refueling Wing through a variety of functions including infrastructure, sustainment, logistics, aerial port, force support, security, and emergency management.
Colonel Vargas received her commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Grambling State University, Louisiana, in July 1998, leading to a career spanning over two decades of dedicated service with an extensive background leading teams at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels in joint operations, logistics, and requirements. Her first assignment, Installation Deployment Officer for the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson, North Carolina, led to support for Operations ALLIED FORCE and NORTHERN WATCH.
Prior to her current position, the Colonel was the Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
The colonel participated in several overseas deployments and campaign support efforts beginning as a company grade officer. As a captain, she led operations at the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, winning Best Aerial Port in the Department of Defense. Colonel Vargas later commanded the 82d Aerial Port Squadron for her previous command, and later selected as Chief, Joint Team Records, an interagency tour leading logistics operations for the Presidential library. Her senior development education research garnered her the Matthew B. Ridgway Award for Writing Excellence.
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.
2005 Acquisition Logistics Certification, Defense Acquisition University, Va.
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
2019 Requirements Management, Defense Acquisition University, Va.
2020 Army War College in residence, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2020 Master’s in Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
2023 Women’s Executive Leadership Cohort, Washington University, Mo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1999 - March 2001, FLIGHT COMMANDER, then WING EXERCISE PLANNER, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (Also deployed as CHIEF, REDEPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM, Incirlik Air Base, Turkiye)
2. March 2001 – February 2004, CHIEF OF LOGISTICS, Spacelift Range Systems Contract, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (Also deployed as COMMANDER, LOGISTICS READINESS FLIGHT, Shaikh Iza AB, Bahrain)
3. February 2004 – February 2005, AERIAL PORT FLIGHT COMMANDER, 615th Air Mobility Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif. (Also deployed as CHIEF, AIR TERMINAL OPERATIONS CENTER, Al Mubarak Airfield, Kuwait)
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. (Also deployed as COMMANDER, AERIAL PORT FLIGHT AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OFFICE)
6. July 2007 – May 2008, ACTION OFFICER, then 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 TO 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 TO THE DIVISION CHIEF, Force Development and Organizations, Directorate of Logistics, Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
10. October 2015 – October 2017, 82d 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 Barracks, 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.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2020 – April 2023 Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, United States Transportation Command Operations Directorate, Scott AFB, Ill. as a colonel
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
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Individual Mobilization Assistant of the Year, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Directorate
PUBLICATIONS
“Contingency Response Wings: Tip of the Spear of Rapid Global Mobility,” Exceptional Release, Fall 2005
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Defense Transportation Association
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 January 2025)