[1] Vines previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division during the U.S. deployment to Afghanistan.

Subsequently, Vines replaced Lt. Gen. Dan K. McNeill as the commanding general of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

As Lieutenant General, Vines has served in several command and staff assignments within the XVIII Airborne Corps to include joint duty with the Joint Special Operations Command.

He served as Commander, 4th Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, during its combat parachute assault in Operation Just Cause and later when the unit was deployed as the first ground combat unit in Operation Desert Shield.

After retirement, Vines spent a few months on the board of USFalcon, an information technology and systems engineering firm specializing in defense.