Colonel James Rossi is the commander of the Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, MI. He is responsible for the mission readiness of the center, the stewardship of the installation and the health and welfare of the military and civilian men and women that accomplish the base’s mission.
Colonel Rossi is a 1996 graduate of Oakland University. He enlisted in the 191st Fighter Interceptor Group, Michigan Air National Guard, in February 1987. He attended Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, Texas, graduating in April 1987 followed by Financial Management Technical Training School at Sheppard AFB, TX, graduating in November 1987. He returned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to support the military finance office and to provide customer service to military members with pay inquiries. Colonel Rossi’s enlisted career culminated in a promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant and an assignment as the Wing Military Pay Supervisor. In 1993, Colonel Rossi was chosen to receive a commission and become a navigator on the unit’s C-130E aircraft.
In 1994, he graduated from the Academy of Military Science and followed-on with Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, TX. He graduated from Navigator School in 1995, attended C-130E Navigator Training at Little Rock AFB, and returned to the 191st Airlift Group in the fall of 1995 to navigate C-130 aircraft. He was later selected as a pilot-hire, and graduated from Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, OK in 2003. Colonel Rossi followed on to C-130 Pilot Initial Qualification at Little Rock AFB, AR in 2003. In 2008, following the unit’s conversion to KC-135Rs, he attended Pilot Initial Qualification at Altus AFB, OK. He has deployed multiple times and has supported Operations Desert Storm, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel. Colonel Rossi has held the position of Selfridge Airfield Manager, 171st Air Refueling Squadron Director of Operations and Commander, and 127th Air Refueling Group Commander.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI
1994 Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, TN
2001 Squadron Officer School Correspondence
2007 Air Command and Staff College Correspondence
2019 Air War College Correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 1992—Feb 1994, Military Pay Supervisor, 127th Fighter Wing, Selfridge ANGB, MI
2. Aug 1997—Feb 2002, Airfield Manager, 127th Wing, Selfridge ANGB, MI
3. Sep 2003—Sep 2006, Chief of Scheduling, 171st Airlift Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, MI
4. Sep 2006—Nov 2009, Director of Training, 171st Airlift / Air Refueling Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, MI
5. Nov 2009—May 2011, Current Operations Director, 171st Air Refueling Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, MI
6. May 2011—Oct 2015, Director of Operations, 171st Air Refueling Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, MI
7. October 2015—May 2018, Commander, 171st Air Refueling Squadron, Selfridge ANGB, MI
8. May 2018—Dec 2018, Deputy Commander, 127th Air Refueling Group, Selfridge ANGB, MI
9. Dec 2018—Aug 2020, Commander, 127th Air Refueling Group, Selfridge ANGB, MI
10. Aug 2020—Present, Commander, Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, MI
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Evaluator Pilot
Flight Hours (Pilot and Navigator): >4900
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, C-130E, KC-135R/T
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two devices
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with three devices
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two devices
Air Reserve Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star
Iraq Campaign Medal with one star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
2d Lt 21 Apr 1994
1st Lt 28 Jul 1996
Capt 21 Aug 1998
Maj 23 Oct 2003
Lt Col 27 Jan 2010
Colonel 31 Jul 2019
(Current as of August 2020)