VSE Corporation Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements (Details)

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 28, 2015
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Earn-out obligations - current	$ 9,455,000	$ 0
Earn-out obligations, less current portion	0	9,062,000
Offset amount included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	0	0
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2013	9,062,000
Maximum potential cash payment				45,000,000vsec_MaximumPotentialCashPayment
Earn-out payments	(2,666,000)vsec_PaymentOfEarnOutObligation
Fair value adjustment included in earnings	3,059,000
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	7.50%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
Reclassification from long-term to short-term	0
Balance as of December 31, 2014	9,455,000
Short Term Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2013	0
Earn-out payments	0
Fair value adjustment included in earnings	0
Reclassification from long-term to short-term	9,455,000
Balance as of December 31, 2014	9,455,000
Long Term Earn Out Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2013	9,062,000
Earn-out payments	(2,666,000)
Fair value adjustment included in earnings	3,059,000
Reclassification from long-term to short-term	(9,455,000)
Balance as of December 31, 2014	0
WBI Acquisition [Member]
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Earn-out payments	2,700,000	219,000	7,100,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] \| Other Assets [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Non-COLI assets held in DSC plan	253,000	198,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] \| Accrued Expenses [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Interest rate swaps	0	326,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Current Portion of Earn Out Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Earn-out obligations - current	9,455,000	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Earn-out Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Earn-out obligations, less current portion	$ 0	$ 9,062,000