Maj. Gen. James E. Sandstrom is Commander, 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He is responsible for the day-to-day training of approximately 2,000 U.S. and allied students. The students range from entry-level flying training through advanced combat crew training, and ultimately become fully qualified, aircrew personnel for the warfighting commands. The 19th Air Force is composed of more than 31,000 assigned personnel and 1,800 aircraft in 25 units throughout the United States.
The general entered the Air Force in 1971 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as a fighter weapons instructor and Deputy Commander for Operations, and has commanded a fighter squadron, a fighter wing and two composite wings. He has held a variety of staff positions at major command, unified command, Air Staff and Secretary of the Air Force levels. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as Director of Operations, and subsequently, as Chief of Staff for Operation Enduring Freedom at Headquarters U.S. Central Command. The general is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours, primarily in fighter aircraft.
EDUCATION
1971 Bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1972 Master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
1974 Squadron Officer School
1983 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1988 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1997 National Security Leadership Course, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1972 - April 1973, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. June 1973 - December 1973, student, F-4 pilot training, 20th Tactical Fighter Squadron, George AFB, Calif.
3. January 1974 - January 1975, F-4 pilot and weapons officer, 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
4. February 1975 - September 1976, weapons officer and OV-10 flight commander, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
5. October 1976 - September 1980, F-104 fighter weapons instructor and weapons officer, 69th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. October 1980 - July 1982, F-16 weapons officer and flight commander, 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
7. August 1982 - June 1983, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. August 1983 - May 1985, project officer, Tactics and Test Directorate, later, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. June 1985 - June 1987, Commander, 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. June 1987 - June 1988, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. July 1988 - July 1990, Chief of Current Operations, J31, Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
12. August 1990 - August 1991, Deputy Commander for Operations, 58th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
13. August 1991 - April 1992, Director of Fighter Training and Tactics, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va.
14. April 1992 - May 1994, Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
15. May 1994 - January 1996, Commander, 23rd Wing, Pope AFB, N.C. (November 1994 - February 1995, Commander, 4404th Composite Wing, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
16. January 1996 - January 1997, Deputy for Theater Air Defense BMC4I, Directorate of Operational Requirements, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. January 1997 - February 1997, Director, Command and Control Task Force, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
18. February 1997 - August 1997, Deputy Director of Command and Control, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
19. August 1997 - August 1998, Director of Command and Control, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
20. August 1998 - December 1998, Principal Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
21. December 1998 - June 2001, Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
22. June 2001 - January 2002, Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas (September 2001 - January 2002, Chief of Staff, Operation Enduring Freedom, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.)
23. January 2002 - present, Commander, 19th Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,400
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-4, F-104, OV-10, F-16 and C-130
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 9, 1971
First Lieutenant Dec. 9, 1972
Captain June 9, 1975
Major Nov. 1, 1981
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1984
Colonel Aug. 1, 1989
Brigadier General Sept. 1, 1994
Major General March 20, 1998
(Current as of March 2002)