Col. James R. DeVere is the Commander, 302nd Airlift Wing, Force Reserve Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. He is responsible for the organization, training and equipping of more than 1,300 Air Force reservists. The wing is equipped with eight C-130 Hercules aircraft used globally on medium-range airlift, tactical airland and airdrop, Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, and aeromedical evacuation missions.
Col. DeVere is a Command Pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours. He commissioned into the Air Force in 1990 through Officer Training School. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1991 at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. In 1995, he became an Air Reserve Technician at Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania.
Before taking command of the 302nd AW, he served as the 94th Operations Group Commander, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, where he was responsible for overseeing airlift operations, aeromedical evacuation, operations support and flying squadron activities, deployable airlift control flight, airfield management, base weather, and air traffic control.
He has deployed in support of Operations Volant Oak, Restore Hope, Coronet Oak, Uphold Democracy, Provide Comfort II, Noble Eagle, Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor’s degree in Earth and space science, East Stroudsburg University, Pa.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 Master’s degree in military studies, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1990 - May 1991, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. June 1991 - June 1995, C-130E Pilot, 327th Airlift Squadron, Willow Grove, Pa.
3. June 1995 - March 1998, C-130E Instructor Pilot, scheduler and Flight Training Officer Air Reserve Technician, 327th Airlift Squadron, Willow Grove, Pa.
4. March 1998 - January 2001, C-130E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Current Operations, 913th Operations Group, Willow Grove, Pa.
5. January 2001 - May 2004, Chief of Safety, 913th Airlift Wing, Willow Grove, Pa.
6. May 2004 - January 2007, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 913th Operations Group, Willow Grove, Pa.
7. January 2007 - April 2009, Director of Operations, 731st Airlift Squadron, Peterson, AFB, Colo.
8. April 2009 - July 2013, Deputy Commander, 302nd Operations Group, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. Aug 2013 - April 2016, Commander, 94th Operations Group, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
10. April 2016 - present, Commander, 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 6,000
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, C-130E, C-130H2, C-130H3
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor device and three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with five oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service with two oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with four 'M' devices and hourglass
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April, 24 1990
First Lieutenant Oct. 5, 1992
Captain Aug. 10, 1995
Major May 11, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 4, 2007
Colonel March 12, 2014
(Current as of July 2020)