Guest Speakers

General James M. Holmers, Commander of Air Combat Command

General James M. Holmes

Commander of Air Combat Command

General James M. Holmes entered the Air Force via Officer Training School in 1981 after receiving a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

General Holmes is currently the Commander of Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He is responsible for the organization, training, equipping, and maintaining of over 1,100 aircraft at more than 315 locations worldwide. The command also employs 158,000 military and civilian personnel, with the purpose of ensuring that air, space, cyberspace, and intelligence forces remain combat-ready.

Before his current command, General Holmes served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. General Holmes has also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in the headquarters staffs of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. European Command, and Pacific Air Forces.

General Holmes is also a command pilot with more than 4,000 flight-hours of experience in several aircraft, including more than 530 combat hours in the F-15.

We are extremely honored to welcome General James M. Holmes to NATCON 2019 as the USAA Military Banquet Keynote Speaker.

The Honorable Matthew P. Donovan, Under Secretary of the Air Force

The Honorable Matthew P. Donovan

Under Secretary of the Air Force

The Honorable Matthew P. Donovan enlisted in the Air Force in 1977. In 1981, he received a Bachelor’s degree in technical management from Regis University, Denver, Colorado, and received his commission in January 1982 through Officer Training School. He retired from active duty as a colonel in 2008 before transitioning later to government civil service.

After retiring, Mr. Donovan became a senior defense policy analyst in the defense industry. Upon moving to government civil service, he held positions as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as well as professional staff member for the Senate Armed Services Committee. As a professional staff member, he managed all things related to Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps fixed-wing aircraft, tactical aviation programs, research and development, and aircraft procurement. Before serving as Under Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. Donovan served as Majority Policy Director for the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Donovan is currently responsible for the overall affairs of the Department of the Air Force; organizing, training, equipping, and providing for the welfare of all 685,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian Airmen and their families worldwide. He directs strategy and policy development, as well as weapons acquisition and technology investment in addition to overseeing the Air Force’s annual budget of over $190 billion. Mr. Donovan is responsible for implementing the decisions of the President and Congress and fulfilling Combatant Commander’s requirements.

We are extremely pleased to welcome The Honorable Matthew P. Donovan to NATCON 2019 as the AFA Luncheon Keynote Speaker.