Col. (Ret.) James Barr joined the Air Force in October 1983 and retired in January 2009. He was a pilot of the C-141, C-17 and Air Force 2, whose passengers included Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of State Warren Christopher. Over his career, Barr logged 4,750 flying hours as a command pilot. Barr deployed with a 31-aircraft formation to perform a combat airdrop in support of Operation Just Cause, flew 142 sorties in support of Operation Desert Storm and 10 combat sorties in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Barr credits his success to the training and education given to him. “Nobody invests in training and education like the Air Force and military in general,” Barr said. “Take advantage of the opportunities they offer you. I’ve benefitted greatly from the training and education to this day.” Currently, Barr works as the space and warfare systems command program manager for the Navy, which is a program that supports the Department of Veterans Affairs, and resides in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, with his wife Jean.