MAJOR GENERAL JAMES W. GRAVES

Maj. Gen. James W. Graves is the Assistant to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Reserve Matters, Washington, D.C. In this capacity he serves as the principal adviser to the Chairman on all matters affecting the Reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and, where appropriate, the Coast Guard. He also acts as the personal liaison with the services on Reserve matters and participates in defense forums such as the Reserve Forces Policy Board, the Joint Capabilities Board and the Joint Requirements Oversight Council.

General Graves received his commission from Officer Training School after graduating from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Following pilot training and active service overseas, he entered the Air Force Reserve unit program and continued his education, attaining a Juris Doctorate degree from the Louisiana State University Law Center. His duties in the Reserve program have included weapons officer, instructor pilot, flight examiner, flight commander and assistant operations officer. 

General Graves has commanded a combat deployment detachment; operations support squadron; the 47th Fighter Squadron, leading the conversion from operations to training missions; an expeditionary operations group; and served as Vice Commander of the 917th Wing. He has held mobilization assistant assignments at Air Combat Command, Air University and Pacific Air Forces.

EDUCATION
1972 Bachelor of Arts degree, College of William and Mary, Va.
1980 Juris Doctorate degree, Louisiana State University Law Center
1983 U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1986 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1995 Air War College, by seminar
1998 Reserve Component National Security Seminar, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2003 Combined/Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2003 Joint Force Air Component Commander Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Senior Information Warfare Applications Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Capstone, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2007 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1973 - January 1974, student pilot, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. March 1974 - August 1974, student pilot, RF-4C training, Shaw AFB, S.C.
3. August 1974 - April 1976, pilot, 32nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Royal Air Force Alconbury, England 
4. April 1976 - October 1976, assistant to the Judge Advocate, Reese AFB, Texas 5. January 1977 - March 1978, A-37 pilot and assistant weapons officer, 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
6. April 1978 - November 1981, A-37 pilot and assistant weapons officer, 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Naval Air Station New Orleans, La.
7. November 1981 - November 1994, A-10 pilot, weapons officer, instructor and flight examiner; later, flight commander and assistant operations officer, 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
8. December 1994 - July 1996, Commander, 917th Operations Support Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
9. July 1996 - October 1997, Commander, 47th Fighter Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
10. October 1997 - April 2000, Vice Commander, 917th Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
11. April 2000 - June 2003, mobilization assistant to the Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
12. July 2003 - April 2005, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. April 2005 - June 2007, mobilization assistant to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
14. June 2007 - present, Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Reserve Matters, Washington, D.C.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 4,000 military flying hours, including combat in Bosnia; and 2,000 civilian hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, RF-4, A-37, A-10 and B-52

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hourglass and "M" device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Pistol)
Air Force Training Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 30, 1972
First Lieutenant Nov. 30, 1974
Captain Nov. 30, 1979
Major May 2, 1986
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 30, 1993
Colonel April 21, 1998
Brigadier General June 30, 2003
Major General Dec. 1, 2006

(Current as of August 2007)