Brian Varn was born and raised in Nebraska, graduating from Minden High School in 1979. He enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard and was trained as a Multi-channel Communication Specialist and served in that capacity for nearly four years.
He then enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1984 and was trained as an Electronic Warfare Technician working on RC-135 Reconnisance Aircraft at Omaha, Nebraska and F-16 systems at Torrejon Air Base, Spain. During his time in Spain, he was fortunate enough to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University attending night school; he graduated in 1989 with a bachelors degree in Professional Aeronautics. This degree opened up opportunities to apply for Officer Training School and he was selected to attend OTS at Lackland Air Force Base, TX in 1990 and was commissioned a second lieutenant.
As a commissioned officer, Brian was trained as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer. His first assignment, in 1990 was as the Safety and Environmental Compliance Officer for Aircraft Management Directorate at the Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan Air Force Base, Sacramento, California. While stationed at McClellan, Brian was chosen over more senior captains to lead, as Director of Maintenance & Logistics, the elite 652 Combat Logistics Support Squadron in supervising aircraft battle damage repair training and depot level repairs of F-111 bomber, F-117 Stealth Fighter, and A-10 Tank Killer aircraft. While stationed at McClellan, Brian started his law degree at night school attending McGeorge School of Law.
In 1995, Brian’s next assignment carried him to F.E. Warran Air Force Base, Cheyenne, WY where he served in a career broadening role as the Operations Duty Officer for the 90th Transportation Squadron, in charge of maintenance and dispatch of the 800 vehicle fleet serving the tri-state Minuteman and Peacekeeper missile complex. As a result of team building and leadership, the Transportation Squadron won 6 of 14 command level awards, including Best Operations Flight in Space Command. While there, he was chosen to serve as the Executive Officer for the 90th Logistics Group Commander. He also participated in Leadership Cheyenne and completed his law degree on a visitation program at the University of Wyoming.
Immediately upon graduation from law school, Brian was sent to Squadron Officer School and then, in 1997, to his next assignment where he served as the Flight Commander of the 628 Air Mobility Support Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Here he supervised all cargo aircraft and their crews serving the theatre, directly supporting the Iraq No-Fly Zone. Once again, teamwork, hard work and leadership resulted in his flight winning the En-Route Air Mobility Command and Control Flight of the Year in Air Mobility Command and this award helped his squadron win En-Route Air Mobility Support Squadron of the Year. While in Turkey, Brian returned to Wyoming to take and pass the Wyoming State Bar exam; subsequently Brian applied for and was accepted into the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps as an Air Force attorney.
Brian’s first assignment as an attorney occurred in 1999 where he was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. He was assigned as the Chief of Military Justice prosecuting criminal and administrative cases. In 2001, Brian was assigned as a trial attorney to the Directorate of Contract Dispute Resolution, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio defending the U.S. government against contractor claims ranging into the millions of dollars. While there, he also served as an Acquisition Attorney advising proper course of actions and modifications on some $13 billion dollars worth of contracts. In 2004, Brian’s next assignment was as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Brian oversaw the day-to-day operations of the base legal office and under his leadership one Air Mobility Command’s Military Justice of the Year award.
Brian retired from the Air Force in 2006 as a Major. He returned to Wyoming and was appointed a Deputy State Public Defender for Fremont County in 2007. In 2008, Brian was afforded an opportunity to become a Deputy Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney and he jumped at the chance to, once again, become a prosecutor. In 2009, Brian was appointed as the Fremont County and Prosecuting Attorney.
Brian is married to Giselle, who is the District Controller for M.I. Swaco’s Rocky Mountain District which includes the western U.S. Brian and Giselle have two children: Gabbie age 6, who attends Smart Start Academny in Riverton and Taryn who is a junior at Riverton High School.