Colonel James H. Kennedy III is the Commandant of The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He leads a team of military and civilian professionals providing legal education and training for approximately 20,000 legal professionals, commanders, and other leaders throughout the Air and Space Forces and the Department of Defense.
Colonel Kennedy’s previous assignments include service as: Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (HQ USAFE-AFAFRICA), Director, Air Force Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate (AF/JAQ) and Director, Commercial Law and Litigation Directorate (AFLOA/JAQ), Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, MD; Staff Judge Advocate, Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC/JA), Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA; Air Force Chief Trial Attorney and Chief, Commercial Litigation Field Support Center (FSC), Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, MD; Deputy Director, Air Force Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate; Staff Judge Advocate, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota AB, Japan; Staff Judge Advocate, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), TN; Executive Officer to the Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters AFMC; Deputy Director of Air Force Industrial Plants; a full-time student in the Master of Laws program at The George Washington University; and the Deputy Chief Circuit Defense Counsel for the European Circuit.
Colonel Kennedy was born in Taunton, Massachusetts. In May of 1993 he graduated from Boston College with a BA in Political Science. In 1996 he graduated from Syracuse University College of Law. After graduating from law school, Colonel Kennedy spent nine months working at a firm located in Los Angeles. He began active duty on 12 February 1997. Colonel Kennedy is a member of the California State Bar and is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Boston College, Boston, MA – Magna Cum Laude
1996 Juris Doctor, Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY – Cum Laude
1999 Squadron Officer School, non-residence
2003 Master of Laws (Government Procurement and Environmental Law), LL.M., The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C. – With Highest Honors
2006 Air Command and Staff College, non-residence
2011 Air War College, non-residence
2023 The Future of Leadership Course: Human and AI Collaboration in the Workforce, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1997 – June 1999, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, Kelly AFB, TX
2. June 1999 – October 2000, Area Defense Counsel, Ramstein AB, Germany
3. October 2000 – July 2002, Circuit Defense Counsel, Ramstein AB, Germany
4. July 2002 – July 2003, Deputy Chief Circuit Defense Counsel, Ramstein AB, Germany
5. August 2003 – August 2004, Master of Laws student, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
6. August 2004 – May 2006, Deputy Director, Air Force Industrial Plants, Air Force Materiel Command Legal Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
7. May 2006 – June 2007, Executive Officer, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
8. June 2007 – June 2010, Staff Judge Advocate, Arnold Engineering Development Center, Arnold AFB, TN
9. July 2010 – July 2013, Staff Judge Advocate, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota AB, Japan
10. July 2013 – July 2014, Deputy Director, Air Force Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, MD
11. July 2014 – July 2015, Chief, Commercial Litigation Field Support Center, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, MD
12. July 2015 – September 2016, Staff Judge Advocate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, CA
13. September 2016 – August 2019, Director, Headquarters Air Force Acquisition Law and Litigation & Director, Commercial Law and Litigation, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Joint Base Andrews, MD
14. August 2019 – July 2023, Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
15. July 2023 – present, Commandant, The Judge Advocate General’s School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
2005 SAF/GC Individual Alternative Dispute Resolution Award for the Air Force
2012 5 AF Legal Office of the Year
2012 Legal Office selected as Yokota AB Team of the Year
2013 PACAF’s Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award Selectee and Nominee to HQ/AF
2014 SAF/GC Alternative Dispute Resolution Award for the Air Force–Commercial Litigation Field Support Center
2018 American Bar Association Outstanding Military Service Career Judge Advocate Award for the Air Force
2020 Air Force Association Outstanding Senior Attorney (Stuart R. Reichart Award)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant 12 February 1997
Captain 12 August 1997
Major 1 December 2003
Lieutenant Colonel 1 February 2010
Colonel 1 July 2015
(Current as of July 2023)