Brig. Gen. Darren V. James is the Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command and serves as the KC-46A Enterprise Lead, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He is the single focal point for integration of all Air Mobility Command efforts in support of the fielding, employment and sustainment of the KC-46A. He assists the Commander and subordinate Directors to make informed decisions for the KC-46A enterprise, while ensuring continuity and timeliness of key messaging internal and external to Air Mobility Command.
Brig. Gen. James received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1990. He has served in multiple operational and training assignments and logged more than 5,900 hours in the C-5, C-17, KC-135, T-1A and T-37. His notable staff assignments include Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Deputy Director, Operations and Plans Directorate, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Pacific Command, Aide-de-Camp to the 18th Air Force Commander and the Tanker Airlift Control Center Deputy Chief of the Tanker Allocation Division.
Brig. Gen. James commanded the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, 71st Flying Training Wing and the 9th Airlift Squadron. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. James was the Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, Human Factors Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2003 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Charlottesville
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1990-August 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. August 1991-July 1995, Pilot Scheduler, Training Officer, Chief of Squadron Plans and Aircraft Commander, C-5, 3rd Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
3. October 1995-February 1996, Pilot Instructor Training, T-37, 559th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
4. February 1996-March 1997, Instructor Pilot, T-37, 8th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
5. August 1997-February 1998, Pilot Instructor Training, T-1A, 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
6. February 1998-June 1999, Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, T-1A, 32nd Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
7. June 1999-June 2002, Wing Executive Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Evaluator Pilot, Instructor Pilot, C-5, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
8. June 2002-June 2003, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. June 2003-December 2004, Deputy Chief, Tanker Allocation Division, Liaison Officer to U.S. Transportation Command, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
10. December 2004-October 2005, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. November 2005-October 2006, Chief, Wing Safety, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
(May 2006-September 2006, Chief, Wing Safety, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kyrgyz Republic)
12. November 2006-June 2008, Commander, 9th Airlift Squadron, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
13. July 2008-June 2009, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. June 2009-July 2011, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii
15. July 2011-June 2012, Vice Commander, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
16. June 2012-June 2014, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
17. June 2014-June 2015, Deputy Director, Operations and Plans, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. June 2015-June 2017, Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
19. June 2017-August 2018, Vice Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
20. August 2018-August 2019, Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
21. September 2019-present, Special Assistant to the Commander, KC-46 Enterprise Lead, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2009 - July 2011, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel
2. June 2014 - June 2015, Deputy Director, Operations and Plans, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,900, including more than 425 combat hours
Aircraft: C-5A/B/M, C-17A, KC-135R, B-52H, B-1B, E-8C, RC-135, T-1A, T-38 and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 1990
First Lieutenant May 30, 1992
Captain May 30, 1994
Major June 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2006
Colonel Oct. 1, 2009
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2015
(Current as of August 2019)