-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JcXz8LZDaK6/TnYIRlCo/02XlbPo6XiEwBs7bxe2xsujoo9TBxnuGsKqA3oRAyI6
 dykoue3xVCjLk+6dpj7sdg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001450186-09-000028.txt : 20091224
<SEC-HEADER>0001450186-09-000028.hdr.sgml : 20091224
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20091224131507
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001450186-09-000028
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20091223
FILED AS OF DATE:		20091224
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20091224

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LOFTUS THOMAS R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001236829

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-03676
		FILM NUMBER:		091260146

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2550 HUNTINGTON AVE
		CITY:			ALEXANDRIA
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22303

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			VSE CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000102752
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-ENGINEERING SERVICES [8711]
		IRS NUMBER:				540649263
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2550 HUNTINGTON AVE
		CITY:			ALEXANDRIA
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22303
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7039604600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2550 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
		CITY:			ALEXANDRIA
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22303

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	VALUE ENGINEERING CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19790612
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000102752</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VSE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>vsec</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001236829</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LOFTUS THOMAS R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2550 HUNTINGTON AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALEXANDRIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22303</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.05 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.585</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27298</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.05 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>45.135</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20298</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Weighted average reflecting trades within range of $45.00 to $45.41</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Thomas R. Loftus by Thomas M. Kiernan, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-12-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----