GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Col. Jarrett P. Virgil assumed command of the 254th Combat Communications Group during an Assumption of Command ceremony held at Hensley Field on July 26, 2026.
The ceremony was presided over by Col. Kurt Anderson, Commander of the 136th Airlift Wing, symbolizing the formal transfer of authority and responsibility to Virgil as he takes charge of the group's tactical communications and cyber operations mission.
During the ceremony, Anderson highlighted Virgil’s extensive background in expeditionary communications and joint leadership, emphasizing that his command experience at multiple echelons makes him exceptionally well-prepared to lead the group as it modernizes and prepares for future operational demands.
Virgil brings over three decades of military service to the 254th CBCG, spanning both enlisted and officer experience. He began his career in 1995 as a Satellite Communications and Wideband Maintenance Specialist with the 115th Air Control Squadron in Dothan, Alabama. After receiving his commission in 2006, he served as a communications officer and progressed through key leadership positions at the squadron, group, and national levels.
Prior to assuming command of the 254th CBCG, Col. Virgil served as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Commander, 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), providing expertise on ANG cyberspace, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. His leadership background also includes commanding the 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, as well as serving in key division and branch chief roles at the Air National Guard Readiness Center and the Pentagon.
Throughout his career, Virgil has deployed in support of major contingency operations, including Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and the Deepwater Horizon response effort.
In his new role leading the group, Virgil will oversee the unit's mission to train, deploy, and deliver specialized expeditionary communications and cyber capabilities to joint forces worldwide. Addressing the formation, he expressed his commitment to building upon the unit's strong operational foundation and maintaining mission-critical cyber and communications readiness for both state and national requirements.