BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES L. MELIN Brig. Gen. James L. Melin is Commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. The wing is the Air Force Reserve's largest and only unit-equipped air mobility wing, with eight C-17s, 10 KC-135Rs and more than 4,000 Reservists. Born in Chicago, Ill., General Melin was commissioned through the ROTC program at St. Louis University, Mo., in 1971. He entered active duty in 1972 and completed his flight training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in 1974. Following tours of duty flying the KC-135 at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., and Castle AFB, Calif., he completed his active duty tour in 1980. He joined the Air Force Reserve as a traditional Reservist with the 931st Air Refueling Wing, Grissom AFB, Ind., in 1982. In 1986, he joined the 940th Air Refueling Wing, Sacramento, Calif., as an Air Reserve Technician, ultimately serving as the 940th Operations Group Commander. General Melin commanded the 434th Operations Group, Grissom ARB, Ind., in 1997, and later assumed command of the 434th Air Refueling Wing. A command pilot with more than 5,500 flying hours in the KC-135, he has participated in tanker operations in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Joint Forge, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. EDUCATION 1971 Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace management, St. Louis University, Mo. 1985 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1985 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1995 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. ASSIGNMENTS 1. August 1972 - December 1973, administrative officer, 1550th Aircrew Training Test Wing, Hill AFB, Utah 2. December 1973 - December 1974, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas 3. December 1974 - September 1977, KC-135 pilot, 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth AFB, S.D. 4. September 1977 - January 1980, KC-135 pilot and mission development officer, 93rd Bombardment Wing, Castle AFB, Calif. 5. January 1982 - February 1986, instructor pilot, 931st Air Refueling Group, Grissom AFB, Ind. 6. February 1986 - April 1997, evaluator pilot; Chief of Plans; Chief of Standardization and Evaluation; Director of Training; operations officer; and Operations Group Commander, 940th Air Refueling Wing, McClellan AFB, Calif. 7. April 1997 - September 2000, Commander, 434th Operations Group, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. 8. September 2000 - January 2003, Commander, 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 9. January 2003 - July 2006, Commander, 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom ARB, Ind. 10. July 2006 - present, Commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March ARB, Calif. FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: 5,500 Aircraft flown: KC-135A/E/R MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and four oak leaf clusters Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait) EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant July 28, 1971 First Lieutenant April 21, 1974 Captain April 21, 1976 Major July 28, 1985 Lieutenant Colonel June 13, 1991 Colonel June 1, 1996 Brigadier General April 4, 2005 (Current as of August 2008)