Lieutenant Colonel James C. Caldwell is Deputy Commander of the 18th Air Support Operations Group (ASOG), Air Combat Command, Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina. The group is aligned with the XVIII Airborne Corps and its Divisions, the 82nd Airborne, 101st Airborne (Air Assault), 10th Mountain and 3rd Infantry Divisions. The 18 ASOG organizes, trains, equips and employs tactical air control parties, air support operations centers, and Army Weather Support teams for combat operations worldwide. The group comprises over 950 Airmen at 17 geographically separated locations throughout the eastern United States. The 18 ASOG provides precision air, space and cyber capabilities to conventional, airborne and special operations forces.
Lieutenant Colonel Caldwell graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2003 and received his commission through the Air Force Officer Training School in 2004. His assignments span several major and combatant commands leading Airmen in special operations and conventional weather operations across four continents. Specifically, he commanded the 18th Combat Weather Squadron Fort Bragg, North Carolina, served as Director of Operations for the 21st Operational Weather Squadron, Kapaun, Germany, commanded Detachment 2 of the 10th Combat Weather Squadron, Fort Campbell, Kentucky and served on the Special Operations Command Central staff as the Chief of Meteorological and Oceanographic Plans Division, as well as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General. He is a senior military parachutist, US Army Pathfinder and Air Assault graduate and participated in combat operations with US Special Operations Forces at both the operational and tactical levels during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE. He is married with eight children.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science in Meteorology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 Master of Science in International Relations, correspondence, Troy University, AL
2016 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Nov 04 - Nov 07, Weather Officer, 28th Operational Weather Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
2. Nov 07 - Sep 10, SOWT Liaison Officer, Det 2, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, Fort Campbell, KY
3. Sep 10 - Nov 11, Commander, Det 2, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, Fort Campbell, KY
4. Nov 11 - May 13, METOC Officer, Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL
5. May 13 - Jun 14, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL
6. Jun 14 - Jun 15, Chief, METOC Division, Special Operations Command Central, Tampa, FL
7. Jun 15 - Jun 16, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
8. Jun 16 - Jun 18, Operations Officer, 21st Operational Weather Squadron, Kapaun AS, Germany
9. Jun 18 - Jun 20, Commander, 18th Combat Weather Squadron, Fort Bragg, NC
10. Jun 20 - Present, Deputy Commander, 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, NC
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with Valor Device
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - November 10, 2004
First Lieutenant - November 10, 2006
Captain - November 10, 2008
Major - April 1, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel - September 1, 2019
(Current as June 2020)