CSM Francisco Varela is a native of Los Angeles, CA. He enlisted in the US Army in 1996, and served his first 5 years on active duty, before transitioning to the Army Reserve. He serves as the Command Sergeant Major for the 351st Civil Affairs Command in Mountain View, CA. His previous assignments include Command Sergeant Major, 322 Civil Affairs Brigade; Command Sergeant Major, 416th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne); Command Sergeant Major, 426th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne); G4 NCOIC, 79th TSC, Los Alamitos CA; 1SG, 350th EN Co (MAC) Bell CA; 1SG, HHC 315th EN BN Camp Pendleton CA; 1SG, HHC 419th CSSB, Irvine CA; 1SG, HHC 349th CSH Bell CA; 201st Signal Co Yongsan Korea; 1st BN-67th AR Ft. Hood TX .
Throughout the years, he has served in every enlisted leadership position from Squad Leader, Supply Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, S4 NCOIC, G4 NCOIC, First Sergeant, and Command Sergeant Major. He deployed to Kuwait with the 1st BN 67th AR, 4th Infantry Division, as Supply Sergeant (Intrinsic Action 1997), with the 349th Combat Support Hospital to Landstuhl Germany (2004), and to Camp Taji, Iraq as S4 NCOIC with the 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 304th Sustainment Brigade (2008).CSM Varela holds the primary MOS of 12A (now 00Z), and the secondary MOS of 92Y. He is a graduate of the Unit Supply Specialist Course (92Y), the Combat Engineer Course (12B), the Primary Leadership Development Course (now BLC), the Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (now ALC), the Combat Engineer Senior Leader Course (SLC), the US Army Airborne Course, the US Army Sergeants Major Academy (SMNRC Class 43), and the Nominative Leader's Course. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Excelsior University.
CSM Varela’s awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 3, the Overseas Training Ribbon with numeral 3, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device, the NCO Professional Development ribbon with numeral 6, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (6th Award), the Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the US Army Parachutist Badge.
CSM Varela is also an Army Civilian serving with the US Army Reserve’s 79th Theater Sustainment Command as the Supervisory Logistics Management Specialist, in Los Alamitos, CA.
CSM Varela is married to Antonia Roman-Varela, a recently retired Master Sergeant. They have a 13-year-old son, Frankie, and reside in Corona, California.