Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air Force070316-F-JZ504-129.JPGEffective Dates of Promotion
                      
                      Second Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                June 05, 1963First Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 December 04, 1964Captain                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          March 10, 1967Major                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            April 01, 1974Lieutenant Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               August 01, 1979Colonel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          March 01, 1984Brigadier General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                July 01, 1989Major General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    January 01, 1992Lieutenant General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               June 01, 1993
            LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES A. FAIN JR.Lt. Gen. James A. Fain Jr. is Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia.
The general was born in Ashland, Alabama and graduated from Albany High School, Georgia, in 1959. For the first 18 years of his career, he flew as a line pilot and a test pilot. Since 1981, he has been in system program management as the LANTIRN system program director, the advanced tactical fighter/F-22 system program director and as commander of Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.EDUCATION
1963 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1968 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1971 Master of Systems Management, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1972 Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
1976 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by seminar
1976 Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C., by correspondenceASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1963–March 1965, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
2. March 1965–December 1967, B-52H Co-Pilot, 644th Bomber Squadron, K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich.
3. December 1967–December 1969, B-52H Pilot, Beale AFB, Calif.
4. December 1969–July 1971, B-52H Aircraft Ccommander, Research and Development Program, Beale AFB, Calif.
5. July 1971–July 1972, Student, Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
6. July 1972–April 1973, Student, Air Force Operational Training Course, F-4C Tactical Fighter Test Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. April 1973–April 1974, F-4 Pilot, 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
8. April 1974–December 1975, Aerospace Research Flight Test Officer, 4900th Test Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
9. January 1976–September 1978, Deputy Chief, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
10. October 1978–January 1981, Deputy Director, A-10 Combined Test Force, Edwards AFB, Calif.
11. January 1981–August 1981, Director, Low Altitude and Navigation Targeting Infrared System for Night Combined Test Force, Edwards AFB, Calif.
12. August 1981–August 1984, Director, Test and Integration Division, STRIKE System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Chief of Projects, F-15 SPO
13. August 1984–December 1986, Director, Strike System Program Office, (System Program Manager for LANTIRN), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. December 1986–June 1992, Program Director, Advanced Tactical Fighter, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. July 1992–May 1993, Deputy Chief of Staff, Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. May 1993–October 1994, Commander, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. October 1994–present, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  command pilot, test pilot
Flight hours:  more than 4,500
Aircraft flown:  A-10, A-37, B-52, F-4, F-104, T- 33 and T-38MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Vietnam Service MedalOTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1985 Air Force Association Award for Program Management
1988 Lt. Gen. James T. Stewart Award for Program Management
1991 Air Force Association Award for Program Management
1991 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award for Program ManagementEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1963
First Lieutenant Dec. 4, 1964
Captain March 10, 1967
Major April 1, 1974
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 1979
Colonel March 1, 1984
Brigadier General July 1, 1989
Major General Jan. 1, 1992
Lieutenant General June 1, 1993
(Current as of June 2023)Department of the Air Force Logo