Maj. Vanessa Valente takes command of Laughlin’s 47th Contracting Squadron

Maj. Vanessa Valente took command of Laughlin Air Force Base’s 47th Contracting Squadron as the unit’s work continues to shape how the base buys services, awards contracts and supports daily operations for more than 5,700 personnel across 28 units.

Airmen from the 47th Contracting Squadron gathered May 27, 2026, to watch Lt. Col. Matthew Thorne relinquish command to Valente during a change-of-command ceremony at Laughlin. Col. Peter Joo, commander of the 47th Mission Support Group, presided over the ceremony and accepted the guidon, the traditional symbol of authority and responsibility, as the squadron changed hands.

The contracting squadron sits at the center of a mission that reaches well beyond paperwork. Laughlin describes the 47th Contracting Squadron as providing mission-focused business leadership to the Air Education and Training Command’s largest pilot production wing, which makes it part of the infrastructure that keeps specialized undergraduate pilot training moving at Laughlin. That training mission relies on T-6A Texan II, T-38 Talon and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft, and the 47th Flying Training Wing says its payroll totals $119 million and its total economic impact exceeds $234 million.

For Del Rio and Val Verde County businesses, the squadron’s leadership matters because contracting decisions can influence who gets a chance to compete for base work, how quickly purchasing moves and what kinds of support services are prioritized. Laughlin’s third Industry Day on April 21 drew 50 local businesspeople and 25 companies looking to expand work with the base, underscoring the squadron’s role as a gateway between military operations and the regional economy.

Thorne thanked the squadron for helping him become a better leader and Airman, while Joo presented him with a certificate for the Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his service. The formal sendoff signaled continuity as much as change, with the base emphasizing that the mission goes on even as leadership turns over.

Joo’s presence also reflected the broader scope of the Mission Support Group, which Laughlin says supports 28 units and more than 5,700 personnel while overseeing about $1.3 billion in assets, 808 facilities and infrastructure assets, and 9.5 miles of runways and taxiways across roughly 5,300 acres. Joo assumed command of the Mission Support Group on July 25, 2025, putting him in position to oversee the transfer.

The timing placed the ceremony inside an active training cycle at Laughlin. Just days earlier, 25 U.S. Air Force officers graduated in Class 26-11 after completing Undergraduate Pilot Training on May 21, a reminder that the contracting office’s decisions help sustain the day-to-day support mission behind every class, flight line shift and facility on base.