Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air Force060608-F-JZ507-143.JPGMajor General                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    December 01, 1975
            Major General JAMES I. BAGINSKIMajor General James I. Baginski is director of deployment, Joint Deployment Agency, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. He directs worldwide joint service mobilization deployment planning and coordination for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
General Baginski was born in Baltimore in 1932. He graduated from Towson (Md.) High School in 1948 and from the University of Maryland in 1954. General Baginski earned a master's degree in public administration from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in February 1954 and entered active duty in April 1954. He attended flying training at Stallings Field, N.C., and Webb Air Force Base, Texas.
His first assignment in June 1955 was with the 314th Troop Carrier Group at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn., where he flew C-119s. During this tour of duty, General Baginski attended the personal equipment and survival training course at Chanute Air Force Base, I11., and the Air Force survival training course at Stead Air Force Base, Nev., and became 61st Troop Carrier Squadron personal equipment and survival training officer.
In May 1958 he joined the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, Ashiya Air Base, Japan, and later transferred to the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, Naha Air Base, Okinawa, flying C-130A's. While at Naha General Baginski was a transport movement control duty officer until he became director of current operations. The general returned to Sewart Air Force Base in June 1962 as training officer for the 314th Troop Carrier Wing. During this assignment he completed the Army parachutist course at Fort Benning, Ga.
From August 1964 to July 1965, General Baginski attended Air Command and Staff College where he also participated in the advanced degree program through The George Washington University, earning his master's degree in public administration. From Maxwell he was assigned as an operations staff officer at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
In August 1966 General Baginski left for the Republic of Vietnam as a tactical airlift liaison officer with the 1st Cavalry (Air Mobile) Division at An Khe. In September 1967 he joined the Crew Control Branch of the Military Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. While there he participated in the Corona Harvest personnel study at Maxwell Air Force Base.
From August 1970 until July 1971, General Baginski attended the National War College. Upon graduation he returned to the operations career field as the deputy chief of staff for operations, 63rd Military Airlift Wing, Norton Air Force Base, Calif., and in May 1972 became vice commander.
He served as director of assignments at Headquarters Military Airlift Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., from July 1972 until May 1973 when he took command of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing at Ching Chuan Hang Air Base, Taiwan.
In February 1975 the general went to U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield Thailand, for duty as the Southeast Asia airlift commander in charge of project SCOOT-CE. After the fall of Cambodia, he moved to Saigon and when that city was evacuated was assigned to Clark Air Base, Philippines, in May 1975.
Reassigned to Military Airlift Command headquarters in September 1975, General Baginski served initially as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations. In June 1977 he was named deputy chief of staff for personnel and in March 1979 became the command's deputy chief of staff for operations. He assumed his present duties in August 1981.
The general is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal and Army Commendation Medal. He is a recipient of the Order of the Sword.
He was promoted to major general Oct. 1, 1979, with date of rank Dec. 1, 1975.
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