Colonel Jim Dawkins Jr. is commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D. He is responsible for providing combat-ready B-52H Stratofortress aircraft, crews, and associated combat support for deterrence, crisis response, global power projection, major theater war and maritime operations and Air and Space Expeditionary Force deployments. He also serves as the installation commander.
Colonel Dawkins commissioned in 1989 from the Air Force Officer Training School. He is a command pilot with more than 2,800 flight hours in the B-52, B-2, RC-135, F-16CJ and the F-111. He has commanded at the group and squadron level and has served in two joint assignments involving nuclear operations and policy. The colonel served as the deputy director for Global Innovation and Strategy Center at U.S. Strategic Command and as operations officer in the Directorate for Global Operations, J-3, the Joint Staff.
Colonel Dawkins has supported Operations Odyssey Dawn, Enduring Freedom, Decisive Guard, Northern Watch, and Southern Watch. He has also deployed as the director of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, Joint Operations Center in Afghanistan. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the vice commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Business degree, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
1994 Air Force Weapons School, F-111 Division, Cannon AFB, N.M.
1995 Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterrey, Calif.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Masters of Aeronautical Science degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2004 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Levenworth, Kan.
2005 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 USAF Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1988 - March 1989, student, Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. April 1989 - April 1990, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. May 1990 - July 1990, Lead in Fighter Training, 433rd Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
4. August 1990 - December 1990, student, F-111 training, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. January 1991 - January 1995, instructor pilot, F-111, chief of squadron weapons and tactics, 522nd and 428th Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
6. February 1995 - January 1996, German language training, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
7. February 1996 - June 1996, student, F-16 training, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. July 1996 - February 1999, flight commander, F-16, 22nd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
9. March 1999 - March 2002, instructor pilot, B-2 , chief of wing weapons and tactics, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
10. April 2002 - June 2003, operations officer, Deputy Directorate Global Operations, J-3, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington D.C.
11. July 2003 - June 2004, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
12. July 2004 - June 2005, student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. July 2005 - May 2006, director of operations, 13th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
14. October 2006 - January 2008, Commander, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
15. January 2008 - July 2008, deputy director, Global Innovation and Strategy Center, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Neb.
16. July 2008 - May 2009, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
17. June 2009 - March 2011, Commander, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
18. June 2010 - January 2011, Director, ISAF Joint Command Joint Operations Center, Kabul, Afghanistan
19. March 2011 - May 2011, Vice Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
20. May 2011 - present, Commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 3,000 (250 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: F-111, F-16CJ, RC-135, B-2, B-52
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 17, 1989
First Lieutenant March 17, 1991
Captain March 17, 1993
Major July 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2005
Colonel October 1, 2008
(Current as of Dec 2012)