Brig. Gen. James M. Valpiani is Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. He commands the 700-member Dean of Faculty mission, overseeing the design and instruction of more than 410 undergraduate courses for 4,000 cadets across 30 academic disciplines, and directing the operations of five support staff agencies and faculty resources involving more than $250 million.
Brig. Gen. Valpiani commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2004 as the top graduate in academic merit and in the overall order of merit. A George C. Marshall and Harry S. Truman Scholar, he holds a range of advanced degrees in technical and humanistic fields, including a Doctor of Philosophy in Astronautical Engineering. He has commanded at multiple levels, previously serving as Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he led 200 faculty and staff in executing the Air Force's most complex flight operation and administering Air University's most demanding Master of Science degree program. He has also served as Commander and Director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force, leading a joint team of 650 personnel in high-risk developmental test of all three F-35 variants for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Valpiani was dual-hatted as Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Arlington, Virginia, and Chief of Combat Autonomy, Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, California. In these roles, he oversaw the Department of War’s aerial combat autonomy research portfolio, coordinating over 30 organizations in developing artificial intelligence agents for beyond-visual-range multi-ship fighter combat and high-risk developmental test of major weapon systems.
Brig. Gen. Valpiani is a graduate of the French Test Pilot School with experience in over 30 aircraft types including the F-35A/C, F-15E/D/SA, Rafale, Mirage 2000B/C/N and X-62A fighter autonomy testbed. He is a command pilot and has flown 98 combat missions across multiple deployments.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science, Astronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2007 Doctor of Philosophy, Astronautical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Associate of Arts, French, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
2014 Master of Experimental Flight Test, Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, Toulouse, France
2016 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Master of Public Administration, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2018 Master of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, and Senior Acquisition Course, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2004–June 2007, Doctoral Candidate, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
2. June 2007–May 2009, Student Pilot, Euro-North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
3. May 2009–March 2010, Student F-15E Pilot, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. March 2010–October 2012, F-15E Flight Lead and Weapons Flight Commander, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
5. October 2012–May 2013, French Language Student, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
6. May 2013–August 2014, Student Test Pilot, École du Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Réception (EPNER), Istres, France
7. September 2014–May 2016, F-15SA Chief Test Instructor Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
8. June 2016–May 2017, Air Force Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
9. June 2017–June 2018, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2018–June 2019, Director of Operations and F-35 Test Instructor Pilot, 461st Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
11. June 2019–July 2021, Commander, 461st Flight Test Squadron and Director, F-35 Integrated Test Force, Edwards AFB, Calif.
12. July 2021–June 2022, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2022–July 2023, Chief Strategy Officer, AFWERX, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2023–June 2025, Commandant, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
15. July 2025–March 2026, Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., dual-hatted as Chief of Combat Autonomy, Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, Calif.
16. March 2026–present, Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 1,500
Aircraft flown: over 30 types of aircraft including the F-35A/C, F-15E/D/SA, F-16D, Rafale, Mirage 2000B/C/N, A400M and X-62A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Chilean Air Force Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Harry S. Truman Scholar
2004 George C. Marshall Scholar
2004 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow
2004 Distinguished Graduate and Top Graduate in Order of Merit, U.S. Air Force Academy
2008 Distinguished Graduate, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training
2011 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2013 Distinguished Graduate, Defense Language Institute
2016 Air Force Materiel Command’s Lt. Gen. Bobby Bond Memorial Aviator Award
2017 Air Force Fellow and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Scholar
2018 National Aeronautic Association’s Collier Trophy (Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System Team)
2021 Department of the Air Force’s General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award (F-35 Integrated Test Force)
2021 National Order of Daedalians’ Col. Franklin C. Wolfe Weapon System Award (F-35 Integrated Test Force)
2022 Distinguished Graduate, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy
2023 Society of Flight Test Engineers’ Test Team of the Year (X-62A Flight Test Team)
(Current as of March 2026)