Colonel James Ballas is the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible for providing policy and oversight for the planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities, and environmental quality of 176 Air Force bases worldwide valued at more than $420 billion. This responsibility includes housing, fire emergency services, explosive ordnance disposal, and emergency management services. He also influences resourcing for installation support functions with an annual budget of $8 billion and is the focal point for organizing, training and equipping a 51,000-person engineer force.
Colonel Ballas graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and entered active duty in 1998. His experiences span civil engineering and politico-military affairs, including staff assignments at the Numbered Air Force level, Headquarters Air Force, Secretariat of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. European Command, and the Joint Staff J5, Strategy, Plans and Policy. During his Air Force career, he served in RED HORSE and PRIME BEEF combat engineering units and led projects in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Col Ballas deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and as a strategic advisor to the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force Shafafiyat in support of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force. As a commander, his squadron earned the Curtin Award for the top Civil Engineer unit in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
In his previous assignment, Colonel Ballas was the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Senior Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In his civilian occupation, he is a foreign affairs specialist in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, having served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Security Cooperation, Principal Director for Global Partnerships, and Principal Director for Middle East Policy.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2007 Diploma in International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Bologna Center, Bologna, Italy
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Master of Arts, International Relations, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, D.C.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
2019 Joint and Combined Warfighting School Hybrid, correspondence and partial in-residence, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1998 – February 2001, Maintenance Engineer; Chief, Maintenance Engineering; Chief, Base Development, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
2. February 2001 – March 2003, Engineering Project Officer, 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada (Deployed November – May 2022, Civil Engineer, 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
3. March 2003 – June 2005, Regional Combat Engineer, 16th Numbered Air Force, Aviano AB, Italy
4. June 2005 – March 2009, Joint Staff Engineering Officer, J4 Logistics, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
5. March 2009 – March 2013, Regional Country Director, Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Pentagon, Virginia (Deployed July – November 2012, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force Shafafiyat, Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan)
6. March 2013 – October 2015, Deputy Commander, 567th RED HORSE Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
7. October 2015 – June 2017, Commander, 434th Civil Engineer Squadron, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana
8. June 2017 – December 2019, Politico-Military Planner, Deputy Director for Asia, South, and Southeast Asia, Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, Joint Staff J5, Pentagon, Virginia
9. December 2019 – September 2022, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to Director, Resource Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Pentagon, Virginia
10. September 2022 – June 2024, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to Senior Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Pentagon, Virginia
11. June 2024 – present, Mobilization Augmentee, Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Pentagon, Virginia
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2005 – March 2009, Joint Staff Engineering Officer, J4 Logistics, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, as a major
2. July 2012 – November 2012, Strategic Advisor, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force Shafafiyat, Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a major
3. June 2017 – December 2019, Politico-Military Planner, Deputy Director for Asia, South, and Southeast Asia, Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, Joint Staff J5, Pentagon, Virginia, as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon, Long
Air Force Longevity Service with three oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 18, 1998
First Lieutenant January 18, 2000
Captain January 18, 2002
Major March 29, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel October 20, 2013
Colonel August 1, 2019
(Current as of August 2024)