MSgt James R. Mayes is an instructor of Arabic & International Programs manager in the Department of Strategic Languages, Dean of Faculty USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. He instructs basic and intermediate Arabic to over 100 cadets annually, with a goal of providing world-class language instruction. Sergeant Mayes coordinates with distinguished faculty members to modernize language curriculum to meet current and future AF needs and manages international programs focused on providing engagement for cadets with cadets from ally and partner air academies. Finally, as an Academic Enlisted Faculty member, he provides mentorship across the Air Force Academy to cadets who comprise the backbone of the future USAF and USSF officer corps.

Sergeant Mayes grew up in San Antonio, Texas and enlisted in the Air Force in January 2011. He attended the Persian-Farsi basic course at the Presidio of Monterey, California and the Cryptologic Language Analyst Apprentice Course at Goodfellow AFB before graduating in January of 2013 and proceeding to his first duty station at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of roles within the language community including assignments as a language analyst, an intelligence analyst and as an instructor. He has deployed in support of operations ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE, OCTAVE QUARTZ and SPARTAN SHIELD

2008 Bachelor of Arts, History, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

2012 Associate of Arts, Persian-Farsi, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, California

2013 Cryptologic Language Analyst Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas

2014 Airman Leadership School, Shaw AFB, South Carolina

2015 Associate of Arts, Intelligence Analysis, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama

2017 Master of Arts, North American History, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

2019 Associate of Arts, Levantine-Arabic, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, California

2020 Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Tennessee

2024 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Washington D.C. (in progress)

January 2011 – March 2011:  Student, Basic Training, Lackland AFB, Texas

March 2011 – October 2012: Student, Persian-Farsi Basic Course, 314 TRS, Presidio of Monterey, California

October 2012 – January 2013:  Student, Cryptologic Language Course, 316 TRS, Goodfellow AFB, Texas

January 2013 – August 2014:  Collection Operator, 3d IS, Ft. Gordon, Georgia

August 2014 – December 2016: Military Language Instructor, 314 TRS, Presidio of Monterey, California

December 2016 – January 2018:  Command Program Language Manager, 517 TRG, Presidio of Monterey, California

January 2018 – August 2019: Student, Levantine Arabic Basic Course, 311 TRS, Presidio of Monterey, California

August 2019 – August 2020: Language Analyst/Flight Chief, 31 IS, Ft. Gordon, Georgia

September 2020 – April 2021: Superintendent, Host Nation Coordination Cell, 378 AEW, Prince Sultan AB, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

April 2021- July 2022: Senior Language Analyst/Graduate Student, 31 IS, Ft. Gordon, Georgia

July 2022 – Present: Arabic Instructor, Dean of Faculty, USAFA, Colorado Springs, Colorado