Col. Joseph E. Wierenga is the Deputy Commander, 82d Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He assists and advises the commander responsible for the training of more than 65,000 officers and enlisted Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and international students annually at Sheppard AFB and 62 geographically separated units worldwide.
Col Wierenga entered the Air Force in May 2004 through ROTC at North Dakota State University. He has served for more than 20 years in a variety of civil engineer leadership and staff roles across operations, engineering, asset management, environmental programs, and expeditionary infrastructure support. His assignments span North Dakota, Korea, Virginia, Germany, Washington D.C., California, Alaska, South Carolina, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. He has commanded three squadrons and deployed six times in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE and SPARTAN SHIELD. Prior to his current position, he was a student at Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Col. Wierenga’s notable previous assignments include serving as Deputy Director of Logistics, Engineering and Contracting for Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), Commander of the 1st Expeditionary Theater Sustainment Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Commander of the 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at Prince Sultan Air Base, and Commander of the 773d Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and holds master’s degrees from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D. 2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla. 2015 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2026 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2004 - July 2007, Civil Engineer, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D. (January - May 2005, Project Manager, 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Tallil Air Base, Iraq) (August 2006 - March 2007, Pavements Engineer/Lead Programmer, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan)
- July 2007 - July 2008, Chief, Plans and Programs, 8th Civil Engineer Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
- July 2008 - February 2010, Chief, Operations Support, 1st Civil Engineer Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. (August 2009 - February 2010, Engineering Advisor, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan/NATO Training Mission, Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan)
- February 2010 - August 2011, Deputy Chief, Asset Management Flight, 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. (Dec 2010 - June 2011, Chief of Base Development, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
- August 2011 - April 2013, Chief, Expeditionary Infrastructure Support, Directorate of Installations, Logistics and Mission Support, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
- April 2013 - August 2014, Deputy Chief, Plans and Requirements Branch, Directorate of Installations, Logistics and Mission Support, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany (August 2013 - March 2014, Deputy J7, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
- August 2014 - August 2016, Chief, Environmental Branch, Directorate of Logistics, Installations & Force Protection, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
- August 2016 - June 2017, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- June 2017 - June 2019, Operations Flight Commander, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
- June 2019 - July 2021, Commander, 773d Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
- July 2021 - June 2023, Deputy Director of Installations, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), Shaw AFB, S.C.
- June 2023 - October 2023, Commander, 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- October 2023 - June 2024, Commander, 1st Expeditionary Theater Sustainment Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
- June 2024 - June 2025, Deputy Director of Logistics, Engineering and Contracting, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), Shaw AFB, S.C.
- June 2025 - June 2026, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- June 2026 - Present, Deputy Commander, 82d Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal Air and Space Campaign Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Civil Engineer Basic Course
2012 Maj Gen William D. Gilbert Staff Officer Award, United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa
2017 Maj Gen Clifton D. Wright Best Civil Engineer Operations Flight Award, Air Force Space Command
2018 Maj Gen L. Dean Fox Field Grade Officer Award, Air Force Space Command
2018 Maj Gen Clifton D. Wright Best Civil Engineer Operations Flight Award, Air Force Space Command
2021 Balchen-Post Award for Best Snow and Ice Control Program, Department of Defense
2021 National Society of Professional Engineers Federal Engineer of the Year Award, Air Combat Command
2022 Maj Gen William D. Gilbert Civil Engineer Staff Officer Award, Air Combat Command
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 14, 2004
First Lieutenant June 12, 2006
Captain June 12, 2008
Major December 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2019
Colonel June 1, 2025
(Current as of June 2026)