Selected for promotion to brigadier general.

Colonel James M. "Mike" Holmes is the Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and International Affairs, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii. In this capacity he serves as the PACAF focal point for command input for the Department of Defense planning, programming, budgeting and execution system, regional security assistance and international affairs. He also oversees doctrine development and command arrangements, joint matters, requirements and manages resources, force development and modernization within PACAF.

Colonel Holmes entered the Air Force through Officer Training School in 1981. He has commanded a fighter squadron, a specialized undergraduate pilot training group and a fighter wing, and has served on the United States European Command and United States Air Force staffs. He is a command pilot with over 3,200 flying hours in the F-15. 

EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
1986 U.S. Air Force F-15 Fighter Weapons Instructor's Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
1987 Squadron Officers School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1993 Master of Arts, History, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
1994 Master of Airpower Arts and Sciences, School of Advanced Airpower Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1995 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2000 Air War College, Correspondence
2001 Master of National Defense Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2006 National Defense Studies Fellow, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, N.Y. 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1981 - August 1982, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. September 1982 - November 1982, student, Fighter Lead in Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. November 1982 - April 1983, student, F-15 conversion training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. May 1983 - December 1985, F-15 Instructor Pilot and Assistant Squadron and Wing Weapons Officer, 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron and 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va.
5. January 1986 - May 1986, student, USAF F-15 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. May 1986 - May 1989, F-15 Squadron Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
7. May 1989 - June 1992, F-15 Squadron Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Assistant Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, Flight Commander, and Assistant Operations Officer, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron and 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. July 1992 - June 1993, student, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 1993 - June 1994, student, School for Advanced Airpower Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 1994 - October 1996, Air Operations Officer and Crisis Action Planner, Operations Directorate, Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
11. October 1996 - December 1997, Assistant Operations Officer, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
12. January 1998 - May 1999, Operations Officer, 71st Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
13. May 1999 - July 2000, Commander, 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
14. July 2000 - July 2001, student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
15. July 2001 - August 2002, Chief, Strategy, Concepts and Doctrine Division, Directorate of Operational Plans and Joint Matters, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
16. August 2002 - July 2004, Commander, 14th Operations Group, Columbus AFB, Miss.
17. August 2004 - September 2006, Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
18. September 2006 - June 2007, Chief, CHECKMATE, Directorate of Operational Plans and Joint Matters, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2007 - present, Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and International Affairs, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,400
Aircraft flown: F-15 A/B/C/D/E, T-38, AT-38, T-37, T-1A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 28, 1981
First Lieutenant Aug. 28, 1983
Captain Aug. 28, 1985
Major May 1, 1993
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1998
Colonel July 1, 2002