U.S. Army Col. Peter Velesky is the Deputy Commander for Joint Base San Antonio and the Vice Commander of the 502d Air Base Wing. The 8,000-person 502d ABW consolidates 49 installation management support functions for a military community with an annual operating budget of more than $700 million, and a $32 billion plant replacement value. It encompasses more than 80,000 full-time personnel, 145,000 students and a retiree community of more than 250,000. The 502d ABW also supports in excess of $4.5 billion in directed projects. The organization has host base responsibilities for Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Camp Bullis, JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph.
Colonel Velesky is a native of Copperas Cove, Texas. He enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard as a Combat Medical Specialist in 1991 and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1996 with a degree in Construction Science. Upon graduation he received his active duty commission as an Aviation Officer and was trained as an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior aviator. The colonel has a Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security from the Bush School at Texas A&M University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
EDUCATION
Combat Medical Specialist, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Bachelor of Science, Construction Science, Texas A&M University
Army Aviation Officers’ Basic Course & OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Qualification Course Fort Rucker, Alabama
Aviation Officer Captains’ Career Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama
Cavalry Leaders’ Course, Fort Knox, Kentucky
Bush School for Government and Public Service, Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security, College Station, Texas
Basic & Advanced Military Transition Team Course, Fort Riley, Kansas & Camp Taji, Iraq
Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Instructor Pilot Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama
U.S. Army War College, Master of Strategic Studies, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
ASSIGNMENTS
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November 1996 – May 1998, Army Aviation Officers’ Basic Course, Rotary Wing Qualification Course, and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Aviation Qualification Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama
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May 1998 – May 2001, Class III & V Platoon Leader, Aeroscout Platoon Leader, and Squadron Adjutant, 1st Squadron, 7th US Cavalry, Fort Hood, Texas
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May – October 1999, Aeroscout Platoon Leader, Stabilization Force (SFOR 5), OPERATION JOINT FORGE, Camp Comanche, Bosnia-Herzegovina
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January 2002 – May 2005, S3 Air, Aviation Unit Maintenance (AVUM) Troop Commander, and Aeroscout Troop Commander, 1st Squadron, 4th US Cavalry, Schweinfurt, Germany
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February 2004 – February 2005, Aeroscout Troop Commander, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, FOB MacKenzie, Iraq
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June 2005 – January 2008, Assistant Professor of Military Science, Texas A&M
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February 2008 – May 2009, Military Transition Team Chief (MiTT), OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
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May 2009 – June 2010, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
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June 2010 – June 2011, Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, Alabama
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June 2011 – June 2012, Brigade Operations Officer, 110th Aviation Brigade, Fort Rucker, Alabama
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June 2012 – May 2014, G5/J5 Plans & Operations Coordinator, NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-IT), Solbiate Olona, Italy
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January 2013 – June 2103, J35, Future Operations Planning Team Lead for Regional Command East & Capital, ISAF Joint Command (IJC), OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Kabul, Afghanistan
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June 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 277th Aviation Support Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York
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June 2016 – June 2017, Aviation Center of Excellence Liaison to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama
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June 2017 – June 2018, Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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August 2018 – Present, Vice Commander, 502d Air Base Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with numeral 3
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Citation
Iraqi Campaign Medal with 4 campaign stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
NATO medal with campaign star
Combat Action Badge
Senior Army Aviator Badge
Parachutist Badge