Reno resident tabbed as next U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer

By Erick Studenicka

A career aviator military career path completed its transition from rotary-wing aviation to financial and logistics management on  Jan. 19 when was named the U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer for Nevada.

Lt. Col. Andrew Wagner, a 46-year-old Reno resident, is only the 10th USPFO officer for the Nevada Guard since the conclusion of World War II. He succeeds Col. Mary Devine.

As USPFO, Wagner oversees nearly $1 billion in federal assets – including property and materiel – in the possession of both the Nevada Army and Air Guard. Wagner will also keep tabs on the roughly $200 million the Nevada Army and Air Guard receives annually in federal funds appropriated for payroll and operational expenses. Wagner earned his Master of Business Administration degree from University of Nevada, Reno, in 2021

Devine succeeded Col. Felix Castagnola in 2018, and she is now Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry’s chief of staff. Wagner’s vacant deputy USPFO position is set to be hired.

Wagner, who will become a colonel within a few months, transferred from Ohio into the Nevada Army Guard in 2006. Although he was the deputy USPFO the past year, he is renowned within the Nevada Army Guard as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot. Wagner was the executive officer for C Company, 1-168th Aviation during its deployment to Afghanistan in 2008. The Company medically evacuated 1,027 people during the deployment.

In 2012, Wagner returned to Afghanistan, this time as the commander of C Company, 1-168th Aviation. Once again the unit flew hundreds of hours evacuating injured U.S military, allies and civilians without a serious incident or casualty.

In the interim since his second deployment to Afghanistan, Wagner worked primarily as the Army Aviation Support Facility commander in Reno. The facility oversees the daily operations and maintenance of the state’s six UH-60L Black Hawks and seven CH-47F Chinook helicopters.

Wagner resides in Reno with his wife, Karen, son, Jake, 16, and daughter Mia, 10.

Master Sgt. Erick Studenicka is a public information officer for the Nevada Army National Guard.