Colonel Joseph M. Vanoni is Commander 43d Air Mobility Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina. He leads a unique stand-alone group responsible for rapid strategic deployment of forces assigned to Joint Special Operations Command, the XVIII Airborne Corps, and the 82nd Airborne Division. Comprised of 685 Airman and Civilians, the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group also supports more than 2,600 Airman assigned to Fort Bragg and Pope Army Air Field. The Group provides Combatant Commanders with Airborne Joint Forcible Entry, combat airlift, aerial port, command and control, and other enabling capabilities.
Colonel Vanoni received his commission from Air Force ROTC Detachment 045, San Jose State University in 1998. After commissioning, he completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, TX. Colonel Vanoni’s career includes a C-17A operational assignment at Charleston AFB, SC; a C-17A instructor at the 57th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School and as the Operations Officer for the 6th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ. Additionally, he served on staff at U.S. Air Forces Central, Shaw AFB, SC, as the Operational Plans Division Mobility Operations Chief and Global Force Management Branch Chief and at the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, Norfolk Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia as the Training Readiness and Exercise Division Chief (J37). Colonel Vanoni commanded the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar supporting Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and RESOLUTE SUPPORT in Afghanistan and the stand-up of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE in Iraq and Syria. Prior to his current assignment he was the Chief, Crisis Plans and Operations Division, Air Mobility Command Headquarters, Scott AFB, IL.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Art in Mathematics, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2005 C-17 Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Mobility Weapons School, McGuire AFB, NJ
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Master of Science in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
2018 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J McNair, Washington District of Columbia
ASSIGNMENTS
- Jul 1998 – May 1999, At Detachment Delay Officer, Air Force ROTC Detachment 45, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
- May 1999 – Oct 2000, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, TX then Student, C-17 Pilot Initial Qualification, Altus AFB, OK
- Oct 2000 – Jun 2002, Aircraft Commander and Tactics Officer, 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, SC
- Jun 2002 – Oct 2003, Aircraft Commander and Assistant Tactics Flight Commander,16th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, SC
- Oct 2003 – Dec 2004, Instructor Pilot and Wing Tactics, Plans, and Programs Officer, 437th Operational Support Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, SC
- Jan 2005 – Aug 2005, Student C-17 Weapons Instructor Course then Assistant Director of Operations, 16th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, SC
- Sep 2005 – Oct 2006, USAF Mobility Weapons School Executive Officer, USAF Mobility Weapons School, USAF Mobility Warfare Center, McGuire AFB, NJ
- Oct 2006 – Jun 2008, Phase Manager, Assistant Director of Operations, and Chief Standardization and Evaluations, 57th Weapons Squadron, McGuire AFB, NJ
- Jun 2008 – Jun 2010, Mobility Operations Chief then Global Force Management Branch Chief, U.S. Air Forces Central, Shaw AFB, SC
- Jun 2010 – Jun 2011, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
- Jun 2011 – Jun 2012, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
- Jul 2012 – May 2014, Operations Officer, 6th Airlift Squadron, 305th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
- May 2014 – Jun 2015, Commander, 379th Expeditionary Operational Support Squadron, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
- Jun 2015 – Jul 2017, Mobility Plans Branch Chief then Training, Readiness, and Exercise Division Chief (J37), Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, Norfolk Naval Station, VA
- Jul 2017 – Jul 2018, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J McNair, Washington District of Columbia
- Jul 2018 – Jan 2019, Chief, C2/Expeditionary Operations Division, Air Mobility Command Headquarters, Scott AFB, IL
- Jan 2019 – May 2020, Chief, Crisis Plans & Operations Division, Air Mobility Command Headquarters, Scott AFB, IL
- Jun 2020 – Present, Commander 43d Air Mobility Operations Group, Pope Army Air Field, NC
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- Jun 2015 – Jul 2017, Mobility Plans Branch Chief and Training, Readiness, and Exercise Division Chief (J37), Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, Norfolk Naval Station, VA
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2700+
Combat Hours: 300+
Aircraft Flown: C-17A, T-1A, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and oak leaf cluster
DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant 29 June 1998
First Lieutenant 29 June 2000
Captain 29 June 2002
Major 1 May 2008
Lieutenant Colonel 1 Sep 2013
Colonel 1 Oct 2019
(Current as of 12 Jun 20)