COLONEL JAMES J. MATTEY

Col. Jim Mattey is the commander of the 513th Air Control Group at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The 513th is the only Air Force Reserve unit that maintains and operates the E-3 Sentry, an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. The colonel is responsible for directing and maintaining the wartime readiness of the nearly 400 reservists under his command.

Previously, Col. Mattey served as the Reserve Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Reserve Affairs and Airman Readiness (SAF/MRR). He assisted in the planning, and establishing of policy and implementing activities crucial to the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, as well as Total Force Airman Readiness. Preceding this assignment, Col. Mattey served as the senior executive officer to the Chief of Air Force Reserve (RE) and the Commander, AirForce Reserve Command (AFRC). He was responsible for the comprehensive oversight of multiple general officer interactions with agencies of all levels in and outside the DoD. In addition to correlating senior staff actions, Col. Mattey was the chief architect between the Chief of AFR and AFRC Commander’s two geographically separated staffs. Prior to this assignment Col. Mattey served as the Operations Officer for the United States Air Force’s only Reserve E-3, Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) organization, the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron at Tinker AirForce Base, Oklahoma. Col. Mattey was responsible for developing combat power through the recruiting, training and retaining of more than 160 command and control experts and managing a $7.5 million annual flying hours program.

Col. Mattey graduated from State University College at Buffalo, N.Y, in 1993 and enlisted in the Air Force. After serving for four years on active duty with the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Col. Mattey transitioned to the Air Force Reserve and the 513th Air Control Group. He attended Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and graduating top of his class. Col. Mattey served two previous tours in the Pentagon, first, on the Air Staff, A2I, leading a cross-functional, multi-domain collaboration development team from DoD, industry, and academia. While on the Joint Staff, Col. Mattey served as the J6 liaison between the Deputy Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, J6, and the National Military Command Center, J-33, integrating various DoD and interagency departments supporting nuclear command and control, senior leader communications, continuity of operations and continuity of government within the national military command system architecture.

With more than 26 years of experience in command and control, including joint and multi-national operations, Col. Mattey is a Senior Air Battle Manager with over 2,600 flight hours in the E-3 B/C/G, including missions flown in support of operations NORTHERN and SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, NOBLE EAGLE and AOC deployments supporting ENDURING FREEDOM and is JACCE qualified.

 

EDUCATION

1993 Bachelor of Technology in Electronics, State University College, Buffalo, N.Y. 1993 Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas

2000 Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (Outstanding Graduate) 2000 Air Battle Manager Formal Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla.

2004 Reserve Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar Phase II, Warner-Robins AFB, Ga. 2004 Air and Space Operations Center Initial Qualification Training, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2008 Masters of Business Administration, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. 2008 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Systems/TACOPS Training, Dahlgren, Va. 2008 Joint Theater Air Missile Defense Course, Fort Bliss, Texas

2009 Air Force Reserve Command Leadership Today and Tomorrow Seminar, Washington, D.C. 2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2013 Reserve Component Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va. 2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

2016 Air War College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1.           September 1993–October 1993, Basic Training, Lackland AFB, Texas

2.           December 1993–September 1994, Enlisted Specialty Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.

3.           September 1994–September 1997, Computer Display Maintenance Technician, 964th AWACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.

4.           September 1997–September 1999, Computer Display Maintenance Technician, 970th AACS, 513th ACG, Tinker AFB, Okla.

5.           September 1999–January 2000, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

6.           January 2000–July 2004, Instructor Air Weapons Officer, 970th AACS, 513th ACG, Tinker AFB, Okla.

7.           July 2004–August 2010, Operations Flight Commander, Instructor Senior Air Defense Officer, 710th COS, Langley AFB, Va.

8.           August 2010–June 2011, Student, Air Command Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

9.           June 2011–March 2014, Chief, Dynamic Mission Operations, ISR Innovations, Air Staff, Pentagon Washington, D.C.

10.         March 2014–August 2015, Joint Staff J6 Liaison to the National Military Command Center, Pentagon Washington, D.C.

11.         August 2015–Aug 2018, Operations Officer, 970th AACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.

12.         Aug 2018-Jul 2019, Senior Executive Officer for Chief of Air Force Reserve and Commander, AFRC, Pentagon

13.         Jul 2019-July 2020, RA to the Deputy Asst. Secretary of the Air Force for Reserve Affairs and Airman Readiness

14.         July 2020–present, Commander, 513th ACG, Tinker AFB, Okla.

 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. March 2014–August 2015, Joint Staff J6 Liaison to the National Military Command Center, Pentagon Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: senior air battle manager Flight Hours: approx. 2690 Aircraft Flown: E-3B/C, E-3G

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Joint Meritorious Unit Award

Combat Readiness Medal with five oak leaf clusters

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant 14 Jan 2000

First Lieutenant 14 Jan 2002

Captain 14 Jan 2004

Major 15 Apr 2008

Lieutenant Colonel 15 Aug 2013

Colonel 24 Sep 2018

(Current as of Aug 2020)