Colonel James J. Muniz is the Commander, 12th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The group is responsible for introduction to fighter fundamentals student and instructor upgrade missions, as well as the Air Force’s pilot instructor training, undergraduate remotely piloted aircraft pilot training, and basic sensor operator training programs. The group consists of five flying training squadrons, an operations support squadron, and a training squadron with more than 350 flying instructors, 20 enlisted members, and 282 DoD civilians and contractors who collectively produce more than 1,100 graduates per year.
Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Muniz served as the liaison officer for the United States Strategic Command where he was responsible for coordinating air refueling and air lift missions in support of Department of Defense global deterrence and strategic options.
Col. Muniz graduated from Texas A&M University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Bio-Medical Science. He was commissioned in 1999 through Officer Training School where he was a Distinguished Graduate. Col. Muniz is a command pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours in the KC-135 R/T/RT, T-1 and T-6 with multiple deployments performing combat and contingency flight operations in USCENTCOM and USAFRICOM including Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Odyssey Dawn.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
2005 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Arts, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2011 Air Command & Staff College, by correspondence
2017 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 - August 2000, Student Pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 86th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2. September 2000 - February 2001, KC-135 Student Pilot, 54th Air Refueling Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
3. February 2001 – October 2003, Pilot KC-135 and Executive Officer, 350th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
4. October 2003 – December 2004, KC-135 Aircraft Commander and Chief of Scheduling Pilot, 350th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
5. January 2005 - June 2005, Pilot Instructor Training, 99th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
6. June 2005 – November 2008, Instructor Pilot and Chief of Training, 86th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
7. November 2008 - February 2009, KC-135 Student Pilot, 54th Air Refueling Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
8. March 2009 - July 2010, Instructor Pilot and Assistant Operations Officer, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
9. July 2010 - July 2012, Instructor Pilot and Chief Operations Group Training, 100th Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
10. July 2012 – October 2014, Chief Air Refueling Control Team, 603 Air Operations Center, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. October 2014 – May 2015, Deputy Chief of Staff, USAFE, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. May 2015 – August 2015, Pilot Instructor Training, 99th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
13. September 2015 – April 2018, Director of Operations, 3d Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
14. April 2018 – May 2020, Commander, 71st Operations Support Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
15. June 2020 – July 2022, U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. July 2022 – Present, Commander, 12th Operations Group, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2020 – July 2022 U.S. Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,800, including 683 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: KC-135 R/T/RT, T-1, T-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with 5 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 02, 1999
First Lieutenant July 02, 2001
Captain July 02, 2003
Major May 01, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel November 01, 2014
Colonel October 01, 2020
(Current as of July 2022)