Quick Facts
Biography
James Edward Sherrard III (born January 1, 1943) was a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who served as Commander of the United States Air Force Reserve Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C., and commander, Headquarters Air Force Reserve, a separate operating agency located at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. As chief of Air Force Reserve, he served as the principal adviser on Reserve matters to the Air Force Chief of Staff. As commander of AFRES, he had full responsibility for the supervision of U.S. Air Force Reserve units around the world. He served in this position from November 1994 to June 1998.
Sherrard was born in Tutwiler, Mississippi. He was a distinguished graduate of the University of Mississippi's Reserve Officer Training Corps program and entered active duty in July 1965. A command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours, he has commanded an Air Force Reserve group, two wings and two numbered air forces. Before assuming his current position, he was Commander of the 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.
His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass, and Order of the Sword.
Education
- 1965 Bachelor of arts degree in biology, University of Mississippi
- 1976 Master's degree in personnel management, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
- 1981 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
Assignments
- July 1965 - August 1966, student, flight training, Moody AFB, Ga.
- August 1966 - December 1970, instructor pilot, simulator division chief, wing flight management officer and wing operations officer, U.S. Air Force-West German pilot training program, Sheppard AFB, Texas
- October 1971 - September 1977, instructor pilot and C-130A/B and AC-130A flight examiner and squadron operations officer, 919th Tactical Airlift Group, Eglin Auxiliary Field 3 (Duke Field), Fla.
- September 1977 - November 1978, squadron operations officer and C-130E instructor pilot, 913th Tactical Airlift Group, Willow Grove Air Reserve Facility, Pa.
- November 1978 - July 1981, Assistant Deputy Commander, later, Deputy Commander for Operations, 459th Tactical Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.
- July 1981 - October 1984, Commander, 910th Tactical Airlift Group, Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio
- October 1984 - August 1986, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Programs and Manpower, Headquarters Air Force Reserve, Robins AFB, Ga.
- August 1986 - January 1988, Commander, 440th Tactical Airlift Wing, Billy Mitchell Field, Wis.
- January 1988 - February 1990, Commander, 433rd Military Airlift Wing, Kelly AFB, Texas
- February 1990 - July 1993, Commander, 4th Air Force, McClellan AFB, Calif.
- July 1993 - October 1994, Vice Commander, Air Force Reserve, Robins AFB, Ga.
- October 1994 - January 1995, Commander, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
- January 1995 - January 1998, Vice Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
- January 1998 - September 1998, Commander, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.
- September 1998 - 2004, Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.