2025
James E. Shepard
U.S. Air Force
Biography
James E. Shepard, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force, is a visiting military fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Col. Shepard received his commission in 2006 from Clemson University and has served in a variety of positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. He has commanded at the squadron level, and his staff experience includes a major command, the Air Staff, and a unified combatant command. As a command pilot, Col. Shepard has commanded and instructed in both the KC-10 and C-5M aircraft, accumulating over 3,900 flight hours. He has deployed seven times in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn, as well as Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, during which he accumulated 220 combat sorties and more than 1,800 flight hours in combat.