Col. James A. Hudnell is the Deputy Commander, 11th Wing and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C. As the Deputy Commander, he assists the Wing Commander in managing global operations for the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, U.S. Air Force Band, and Arlington National Cemetery Chaplaincy missions. In addition, he enables the 11th Wing’s support to Joint Task Force-NCR and approximately 70 mission partners through security, personnel management, logistics, contracting, and financial oversight for 18,000 military and civilian employees and their families across the National Capital Region. He teams with Joint Base mission partners such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, the White House Communications Agency, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Washington, and the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard to sustain a 1,000-acre hub of readiness and support excellence.
Col. Hudnell enlisted in the Air National Guard in 1998, earned his commission in 2000 through the University of Southern Mississippi ROTC program, and trained at Keesler AFB, Miss., in Airfield Operations. He served in operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, ODYSSEY DAWN, and UNIFIED PROTECTOR. Col. Hudnell held various roles, including Academic Instructor, Flight Commander, Combat Airspace Team Chief, Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Commander, Secretary of the Joint Staff, Executive Officer, Division Chief, and prior to his current position, the Colonel was the Deputy Director of the Operations Department at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
Col. Hudnell’s certifications include Combat/NATO Airspace Management, Special Operations Liaison Element, Airfield Management, Air Education and Training Command Instructor, University Faculty, Private Pilot, and Ratings at Six Air Traffic Control facilities.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, University of Southern Mississippi, Miss.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Science, Criminal Justice with Intelligence Emphasis, American Military University, W. Va.
2012 Executive Leadership Development Program, Air Mobility Command, Tacoma, Wash.
2014 Master in Operational Art and Science, Political Affairs Specialist track, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2024 National Security Executive Leadership, U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Institute, Arlington, Va.
2024 Air Force Enterprise Leadership, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- May 2000-September 2000, Student, 334th Training Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base (AFB), Miss.
- September 2000-June 2001, Upgrade Student, 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
- June 2001-July 2002, Flight Operations Officer, 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
- June 2002-July 2003, Instructor, 334th Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- July 2003-December 2003, Student, 14th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
- December 2003-December 2005, Flight Commander, “Deployed Squadron Operations Officer,” 375th Operations Support Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
- December 2005-August 2007, Flight Commander, 354th Operations Support Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
- August 2007-December 2008, Squadron Assistant Director of Operations “Deployed Tactical Air Cell Chief,” 354th Operations Support Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
- December 2008-July 2011, Combat Airspace Management Chief, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein, Germany
- July 2011-July 2013, Squadron Operations Officer, 92nd Operations Support Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
- July 2013-June 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, 21st Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- June 2014-July 2016, Squadron Commander, 42nd Operations Support Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- July 2016-May 2019, Chief Secretary of the General/Joint Staff, HQ US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
- May 2019-June 2020, Deputy Commander's Executive Officer, HQ US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
- July 2020-October 2020, Chief Airspace and Airfield Operations Functional Manager, HQ US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, Ramstein, Germany
- November 2020-May 2022, Lead Exercise Planner-Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD), Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- May 2022-March 2024, Operations & Activities Division Chief, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- March 2024-July 2024, Deputy Director Operations Dept, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- July 2024-Present, Deputy Commander, 11th Wing and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2016-May 2019, Chief Secretary of the Joint Staff, HQ US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel
- May 2019-June 2020, Deputy Commander’s Executive Officer, HQ US European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel
- Nov 2020-May 2022, Lead Exercise Planner-CMWD, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
- May 2022-March 2024, Operations and Activities Division Chief, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a colonel
- March 2024-July 2024, Deputy Director-Operations Department, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Non-Article 5 NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Air Mobility Command D. Ray Hardin Facility of the Year
United States Air Force D. Ray Hardin Facility of the Year
Pacific Air Force Command Airfield Operations Officer of the Year
Pacific Air Force Command D. Ray Hardin Facility of the Year
US Airspace Civil/Military Team of the Year, Earl F. Ward Memorial Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major January Jan. 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2015
Colonel Feb. 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2024)