Academy to welcome new Dean of the Faculty
Col. James M. Valpiani announced as the new Dean of the Faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy
By U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Department of the Air Force has named Col. James M. Valpiani as the institution’s next Dean of the Faculty. This selection reinforces the Academy’s standing as a nationally-recognized leader in higher education and its mission to forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service, and developed to lead the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force as they fight and win the nation’s wars.
Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, Academy Superintendent, welcomed Valpiani’s appointment.
“Col. Valpiani’s experience in operational command, research and development, and academic leadership make him ideally suited to lead our distinguished faculty. His vision will ensure our future warrior-leaders receive a world-class education that prepares them to meet the demands of our nation’s defense,” Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind said.
Valpiani commissioned from the Academy’s Class of 2004 as the top graduate in academic merit and in the overall order of merit. He is a distinguished graduate of Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Squadron Officer School, the Defense Language Institute, and the National Defense University. A George C. Marshall and Truman Scholar, National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Scholar, he holds a range of advanced degrees in technical and humanistic fields, including a Doctor of Philosophy in Astronautical Engineering. His scholarly work includes publications on novel satellite attitude estimation methods and military strategy, including a thesis for the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies entitled “In Defense of the Common Good: Strategy, Ethics, and the Responsibilities of Command.”
Valpiani is a command pilot with nearly 100 combat missions in the F-15E, and is a graduate of the French Test Pilot School with experience in over 30 aircraft types including the X-62 fighter autonomy testbed. He currently oversees the Department of War’s aerial combat autonomy research program, developing artificial intelligence agents for multi-ship fighter tactics at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He has commanded at multiple levels, including as Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School where he led 200 elite faculty and staff in administering Air University’s most demanding Master of Science degree. He also served as Commander of the F-35 Integrated Test Force, leading a Joint team of 650 personnel in high-risk developmental test of the Department of War’s flagship fighter program.
His leadership in advancing flight test has been recognized with several honors including the National Aeronautic Association’s Collier Trophy, the Department of the Air Force’s General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award, the Air Force Materiel Command’s Lieutenant General Bobby Bond Memorial Aviator Award recognizing the Air Force’s top test pilot, and the Society of Flight Test Engineers’ Test Team of the Year Award.
“Leading the faculty at my alma mater is a sacred trust,” Col. Valpiani said. “Our nation needs officers who are equally adept in the technical disciplines and the liberal arts. They must be warriors with the expertise to dominate in modern combat, leaders with the wisdom to guide Airmen and Guardians, and thinkers with a deep understanding of the nation we serve and why it is worth defending. It is a great privilege to lead the Academy’s world-class faculty as we educate the next generation to inherit these profound responsibilities.”
Valpiani is expected to arrive in late February 2026. A ceremony will formally mark the transition from Col. Steven C. M. Hasstedt, whose tenure is notable as the longest-serving Acting Dean in the Academy’s history.
“It has been my great honor to serve as Acting Dean of the Faculty in supporting the education, professional, and personal development of our cadets and our incredible faculty and staff colleagues,” said Col. Hasstedt. “As we welcome back a visionary leader to our institution, I look forward to supporting Col. Valpiani as he guides our faculty and the Academy into the future.”
The Academy community extends its gratitude to Hasstedt and his family for their continued service and welcomes Valpiani and his family back to the Academy as he takes charge of its mission to deliver academic excellence.
“We are exceptionally grateful for Col. Hasstedt’s exemplary service and steady leadership as Acting Dean,” said Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind. “His dedication has been instrumental in sustaining academic excellence at our Academy and keeping us on course as our nation’s premier Military Service Academy. I am pleased he will remain on the faculty to provide vital continuity for our academic mission.”
The position of Dean of the Faculty has a distinguished history at the Academy, filled by senior leaders selected for their outstanding leadership acumen, academic credentials, and military professionalism, each bringing valuable perspectives to the faculty and cadets.