Brigadier General John W. Aarsen is the Commander of the 451st Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in Wichita, KS.
Brigadier General Aarsen’s military service began in 1985 when he enlisted in the Army Reserves as Clerk-Typist. In 1989, he graduated from Wichita State University with a B.A. Degree in History and earned his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant through Army ROTC into the Adjutant General’s Corps.
Brigadier General Aarsen’s assignments include Personnel Management Officer for the 89th Army Reserve Command, Wichita KS; Battalion Adjutant, 387th Replacement Battalion, Wichita KS; Commander, 403rd Adjutant General Company and 101st Military History Detachment, Wichita KS; Executive Officer and Battalion Commander of the 360th Replacement Battalion, Myrtle Beach SC; Commander of the Military History Group, Camp Doha, Kuwait; Operations Officer, 310th Personnel Group, Fort Jackson SC; Deputy Commander, 207th Regional Support Command, Fort Jackson SC; Deputy Director, 3rd Personnel Center, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Director of the 310th Personnel Center, Fort Jackson SC; Commander, Fourth Brigade, 94th Training Division; Deputy Commander, 94th Training Division, Fort Lee VA.
In 1998, he mobilized as the Commander, 101st Military History Detachment to Tuzla, Bosnia. The detachment provided support to 1st Armored Division.
From 2002 to 2003, Brigadier General Aarsen deployed to Central Command Area as the Commander of Coalition Force Land Component Command (CFLCC) Military History Group. As Commander, he was responsible for military history operations in OEF in 2002 and OIF in 2003.
Brigadier General Aarsen again deployed to Central Command from 2010 to 2011 as the Deputy Director and Reception, Staging, and Onward Movement Chief for the 3rd Personnel Center (Human Resources Sustainment Command).
Upon being selected as a Flag Officer, Brigadier General Aarsen assumed command of the 451st Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) on 16 September 2017.
Brigadier General Aarsen’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. He has also received the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with gold hourglass device and 2 “M” devices, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with two Bronze Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (with three Bronze Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NATO Medal. He is also authorized to wear the Overseas Service Bar, Joint Meritorious Unit Award (CFLCC), and Army Superior Unit Award (3d Army and US Army Garrison, Fort Bragg).
Brigadier General Aarsen’s military education includes the Adjutant General Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Senior Transportation Officer Qualification Course, Support Operations Course, Combined Arms and Staff Service School, Army Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army War College, and Advanced Joint Professional Military Education.
In addition to his B.A. in History, Brigadier General Aarsen earned a Master of Arts in Public History from Wichita State University and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Brigadier General Aarsen has been married to his wife Eleonore for 22 years. As a civilian, he has worked in the museum profession for the past 29 years and currently works as Museum Director at the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum at Fort Bragg, NC.