Lt Col James W. Bryant Jr.

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LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES W. BRYANT JR.

Lt Col James W. Bryant Jr. is the Operations Flight Commander at AFROTC Detachment 190, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL.

Lt Col Bryant entered the Air Force in June of 2000, graduating as a Korean Cryptologic Linguist is 2002. After serving three years at the 303d IS at Osan AB, ROK, he was selected for an AFROTC commissioning program. LtCol Bryant commissioned in 2007 and trained as an intelligence officer at Goodfellow AFB. Upon graduation in 2008 he served in a variety of locations and positions to include ISR Mission Commander at the 13th IS at Beale AFB, CA, AFPAK Hand advisor in a number of locations in Afghanistan and as a FAO at HQ USCENTCOM. His previous assignment was as an intelligence advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Force in Riyadh.

Lt Col Bryant has extensive regional and language experience, having served as a Central Asian FAO and advisor. He scores a 3/3 in Farsi, Dari, Tajik and Pashtu, a 3/2+ in Russian and a 2/2 in Arabic. He has 900+ hours on the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint. He lives in Champaign, IL with his wife and two sons. Lt Col Bryant is a trained professional wrestler.

Education

Assignments

    • 2003 Associate of Arts, Applied Communications Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL 

    • 2004 Associate of Arts, Korean Studies, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA 

    • 2007 Bachelor of Arts, General Studies, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX 

    • 2010 Master of Arts, Global Security Studies, American Military University, Charles Town, WV 

    • 2017 Master of Arts, National Security Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC  
    • August 2000 – June 2002, Korean Cryptologic Linguist Apprentice Student, 311 TRS, Presidio of Monterey, CA
    • June 2002 – August 2005, Tactics and Special Signals Analyst, 303 IS, Osan AB, ROK
    • June 2007 – February 2008, Intelligence Officer Course Student, 315 TRS, Goodfellow AFB, TX
    • March 2008 – September 2011, ISR Mission Commander, 13 IS, Beale AFB, CA
    • October 2011 – September 2014, Information Integrations Officer, Flight Commander, 97 IS, Offutt AFB, NE 
    • June 2015 – June 2016, AFPAK Hands Air Advisor, USFOR-A, Various Locations, Afghanistan
    • July 2016 – June 2017, Master’s Degree Candidate, National Defense University, Washington DC
    • March 2018 – March 2019, AFPAK Hands Police Intelligence Advisor, USFOR-A, Camp RS, Afghanistan
    • September 2019 – April 2022, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic Country Director, HQ USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, FL
    • April 2022 – April 2023, Air Advisor, United States Military Training Mission, Riyadh, KSA
    • April 2023 – Present, Operations Flight Commander, Detachment 190, University of Illinois, IL

Major Awards and Decorations

Effective Dates of Promotion

    • Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

    • Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

    • Joint Service Commendation Medal 

    • Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters 

    • Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three service stars 

    • Humanitarian Service Medal 

    • Air and Space Overseas Service Ribbon Short Tour with 4 oak leaf clusters 

    • NATO Non-Article 5 Medal 
    • Second Lieutenant 30 May, 2007
    • First Lieutenant 30 May, 2009
    • Captain 30 May, 2011
    • Major 1 May, 2017
    • Lieutenant Colonel 1 January, 2023