Col. Angelique “Angel” Nelson is the commander of the 11th Mission Support Group, 11th Wing, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C. As the 11th Mission Support Group commander, she is responsible for providing contracting, logistical, personnel, communications, infrastructure, and installation security services in support of the 11th Wing and its 74 mission partner units. The 966-acre installation is home to a range of military and civilian agency mission partners including Marine Helicopter Squadron One, the White House Communication Agency, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, the Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Coast Guard Station Washington, Navy and Air Force Ceremonial Guards, as well as more than 18,000 military and civilian employees and their families throughout the National Capital Region.
Born in Newark, N.J., Col. Nelson joined the Air Force shortly after graduating from high school as an airman 1st class. After spending time in the Medical Service Corps, she earned an ROTC scholarship and separated from the enlisted ranks as a staff sergeant., continuing her education at Indiana University where she graduated with honors. Upon graduating, she became a commissioned officer in the Communications and Information career field.
Col. Nelson’s first assignment as a communications officer landed her at the only active-duty engineering and installation squadron in the Air Force where she was given the opportunity to travel around the world and provide network engineering solutions to other military bases supporting the Department of Defense. She has held three command positions, and various communications and information and cyber operations support positions at the squadron, headquarters, numbered Air Force and agency levels. Col. Nelson has extensive joint experience including the National Security Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command and Combined Joint Interagency Task Force – Syria, Qatar (Operation Inherent Resolve).
EDUCATION
1991 Health Care Management Technical School, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1997 Airman Leadership School, Scott AFB, Ill.
2001 Summa Cum Laude, Bachelor of Science, Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington
2001 Magna Cum Laude, Master of Science, Health Administration, Indiana University, Bloomington
2001 Master of Science, Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington
2001 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2002 Airman Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) ISC2
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
2009 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2011 Cyber Operations Communications Course, Fort Meade, Md.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Cyber 300 Course, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
2019 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2024 Executive Leadership Seminar - Diversity and Inclusion, George Town University, Washington, D.C.
2024 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Capitol Club, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- April 1991–April 1992, Patient Affairs Representative, Kunsan Air Base, Korea
- April 1992–April 1996, Mission Controller, 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
- April 1996–December 1999, Mission Support Operations, Global Patient Movement Requirements Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
- December 1999–August 2001, Detachment 215, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Indiana University, Bloomington
- August 2001–June 2003, 738th Engineering Installation Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- July 2003–June 2005, Information Security Scientist, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
- June 2005–August 2007, Senior Network Engineering Supervisor/ Flight Commander, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
- August 2007–November 2008, Flight Commander, Special Maintenance/Operations, 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron, Kapaun AB, Germany
- November 2008– November 2009, Executive Officer, Chief of Staff Office, 17th Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
- November 2009–May 2010, Deputy Director J6/OIC Current Operations, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
- May 2010–August 2010, Executive Officer, Front Office, 17th Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
- August 2010– August 2013, Deputy Division Chief/Program Manager, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
- August 2013–October 2014, Division Chief, Mission Support Operations, Air Force Network Integration Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
- October 2014–July 2015, Chief, Cyber Space Planning, Air Force Network Integration Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
- July 2015– July 2017, Commander, 35th Communications Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
- July 2017–April 2019, Chief, Joint Training and Exercises, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
- April 2019–July 2020, Executive Officer, Assistant to the Director, Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
- July 2020–May 2022, Commander, 744th Communications Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- May 2022–July 2024, Division Chief, Cyberspace Operations Capability Development, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
- July 2024–Present, Commander, 11th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 1, 2001
First Lieutenant Aug 1, 2003
Captain Aug. 1, 2005
Major Sept. 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 2016
Colonel Aug. 1, 2022
(Current as of August 2024)