Col. Patrick R. Launey is the commander of Defense Logistics Agency Aviation and Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. DLA Aviation, a major subordinate command of DLA, is the agency’s combat logistics and supply chain manager for aviation and nuclear assets across the Department of Defense. DLA Aviation is headquartered in Richmond and operates at 22 geographically separated sites across the U.S., plus one site overseas. As commander, he leads a team of more than 4,300 civilian and military personnel who support over 2,340 weapons systems and serves as the installation commander for Defense Supply Center Richmond, providing installation support, services, and security for 20 tenants, including the two-star Virginia National Guard Joint Headquarters. As the U.S. military's integrated material manager for more than 1.8 million national stock number items, industrial retail supply, and depot-level reparable acquisitions, he oversees more than $5 billion in annual sales.
Prior to assuming command of DLA Aviation and DSCR on Aug. 11, 2025, Col. Launey was the commander of the 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing, Air Force Sustainment Center, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He was responsible for leading and directing operations for two Supply Chain Groups, a Materiel Maintenance Group, the Air Force’s Petroleum Office, Vehicle and War Reserve Materiel Global Management offices. Additionally, he led the Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) Center of Excellence at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, ensuring Air Force BEAR-base resources are postured for worldwide deployment to support contingencies and exercises. The wing is postured at 12 operating locations comprised of over 1,600 logistics professionals providing 24/7 supply chain command and control for warfighters globally.
Col. Launey is a native of Metairie, Louisiana and commissioned from Mississippi State University in 1998. He possesses a broad range of logistics, planning, and strategy development experience at the wing, combined joint task force, combatant command, Headquarters Air Force and Joint Staff levels, and he has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He has previously performed duties with the Defense Logistics Agency and has served as an Air Force professional military education instructor and as an Afghanistan National Army embedded training team advisor.
EDUCATION
- 1998 Bachelor of Science, Forestry and Wildlife Management, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss.
- 1998 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
- 2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
- 2009 Master of Arts, Transportation and Logistics Management, American Military University, Charles Town, West Va.
- 2011 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
- 2018 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
- 2021 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Alan Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
- 2023 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- 2023 Global Supply Chain Executive Program, Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- 2023 Senior Leader Security Seminar, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Academy, Montross, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
- August 1998 – September 1999, Sortie Programmer, 68th Fighter Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
- September 1999 – June 2001, Officer in Charge, Deployments, 347th Logistics Support Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
- June 2001 – June 2003, Chief, Logistics Plans Flight, 81st Training Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss. (November 2002 – June 2003, OIC, Joint Operation Planning and Execution System Element, NORAD-USNORTHCOM Air Operations Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla.)
- June 2003 – June 2005, Readiness Flight Commander and Traffic Management Flight Commander, 81st Transportation Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss. (July-October 2004, JRSOI Coordinator, CJTF76, 25th Infantry Division, Bagram, Afghanistan)
- June 2005 – March 2008, Flight Commander, then Director of Operations, 31st Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- March 2008 – April 2009, Executive Officer to the Commandant, Headquarters Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- April 2009 – July 2010, Senior Advisor, Logistics Command Forward Support Group, Afghanistan National Army, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Combined Security Transition Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
- August 2010 – June 2011, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
- June 2011 – April 2012, Agile Combat Support Analyst, Directorate of Global Combat Support, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
- April 2012 – July 2013, Chief, F-35 Logistics Systems Integration, Directorate of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
- July 2013 – July 2015, Commander, 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
- July 2015 – July 2017, Commander, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
- July 2017 – June 2018, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security for National Security and Resource Strategy, Ft. Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
- June 2018 – June 2019, Chief, Joint Petroleum Branch (J4), Joint Staff, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
- June 2019 – June 2020, Director, Current Operations (J3), Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Penn.
- July 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 374th Mission Support Group, Yokota AB, Japan
- June 2022 – July 2024, Chief, Logistics Readiness Division, Directorate of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
- July 2024 – July 2025, Commander, 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
- August 2025 – Present, Commander, Defense Logistics Agency Aviation and Defense Supply Center Richmond, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- April 2009 – July 2010, Senior Advisor, Logistics Command Forward Support Group, Afghanistan National Army, NATO Training Mission and Combined Security Transition Command, Kabul, Afghanistan as a major
- June 2018 – June 2019, Chief, Joint Petroleum Branch (J4), The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a lieutenant colonel
- June 2019 – June 2020, Director, Current Operations (J3), Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Penn., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
- Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
- Bronze Star Medal
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Air Force Commendation medal with oak leaf cluster
- Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
- Second Lieutenant – June 5, 1998
- First Lieutenant – June 5, 2000
- Captain – June 5, 2002
- Major – February 1, 2008
- Lieutenant Colonel – July 1, 2013
- Colonel – August 1, 2019