Col James R. Bartran is the Deputy Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, CA. The 9th is responsible for approximately 7,000 military, civilian, and contract personnel, and the entire Air Force high altitude reconnaissance fleet of U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and four overseas operating locations, executing worldwide missions in support of all six geographic combatant commanders. He also serves as an evaluator and instructor in both the TU-2S, U-2S and T-38A aircraft.
Col Bartran received his commission from Washington State University in May 2001. He started his career as a B-1 pilot before transitioning to the T-38 as an instructor, and later the U-2. Col Bartran has commanded the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron in USINDOPACOM leading 250 personnel and executing INDOPACOM’s manned high altitude reconnaissance mission. He has served in the Air Combat Command Operations Staff as the Crisis Response Division Chief, and has earned two Master’s Degrees, one from Air University, and one from the Army War College. His combat experience includes deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, as well as multiple deployments in support of USINDOPACOM, USEUCOM, USAFRICOM, USNORTHCOM, and USCENTCOM conducting sensitive reconnaissance operations.
Col Bartran is a command pilot with over 4,800 flight hours in the B-1B, T-38A, T-38C, T-34C, TU-2S, U-2S, UH-60, TH-57, and others. He has flown 78 combat missions with over 700 hours of combat time. Prior to his current position, he was a student at the Army War College.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Arts, Business Management & Finance, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master’s of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College Online Master’s Program.
2016 Air War College Program, by correspondence
2021 Master’s of Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001 – Jun 2001 Casual Lieutenant with duties at the 40th Helicopter Flight, Maelstrom AFB, MT
2. Jun 2001 – May 2002 T-34 Student Pilot, Joint Flight Training, NAS Whiting Field, Fla.
3. May 2002 – Dec 2002 T-38 Student Pilot, 25th Flying Training Sq, Vance AFB, OK.
4. Dec 2002 – Aug 2003 B-1B Student Pilot, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX.
5. Aug 2003 – Jan 2005 B-1B Pilot, 13th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX.
6. Jan 2005 – May 2005 T-38 Instructor Pilot Student, 560th Training Sq, Randolph AFB, TX.
7. May 2005 – Aug 2006 T-38 Instructor Pilot, 1st Reconnaissance Sq, Beale AFB, CA.
8. Aug 2006 – Feb 2007 U-2S Student Pilot, 1st Reconnaissance Sq, Beale AFB, CA.
9. Feb 2007 – Jul 2008 U-2S Pilot, T-38 Instructor and Squadron Tactics Chief, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale AFB, CA.
10. Jul 2008 – Jun 2009 U-2S & T-38 Instructor pilot and Chief of Squadron Safety, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale AFB, CA.
11. Jun 2009 – Aug 2011 Student Flight Commander, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale AFB, CA.
12. Aug 2011 – Dec 2012 Assistant Director of Operations, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale AFB, CA.
13. Dec 2012 – Apr 2014 Operations Officer & Instructor, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
14. Apr 2014 – Jun 2015 Chief, 9th Operations Group Standards and Evaluations, Beale AFB, CA.
15. Jun 2015 – Jun 2016 Director of Operations, 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, Osan AB, ROK.
16. Jul 2016 – Jun 2017 Inspector General, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA.
17. Jun 2017 – Jun 2019 Commander, 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, Osan AB, ROK.
18. Jul 2019 – Jul 2020 Chief, Contingency Response Operations Center, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA.
19. Jul 2020 – Jul 2021 Student, Senior Developmental Education, the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA.
20. Jul 2021- 30 Apr 2023 Chief of Staff, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA.
21. 1 May 2023 – Present Deputy Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 5000
Aircraft flown: T-38A, U-2S, TU-2S, T-34C, TH-57, UH-60, UH-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2001
First Lieutenant June 2003
Captain June 2005
Major May 2011
Lieutenant Colonel July 2016
Colonel October 2022