LANSING — Army veteran John E. James’s greatest achievement has been bringing back all of his soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom alive and unharmed. Now he is looking out for the well-being of his fellow Michigan veterans as chair of the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Board.
“I am grateful to Governor (Rick) Snyder and (Veterans Affairs) Director (Jeff) Barnes for another opportunity to serve Michigan veterans and their families,” James said. “I look forward to doing my part to raise awareness and improve access for veterans across the state while ensuring we continue to run an efficient program.”
James served as an aviation officer in the U.S. Army, where he earned two air medals, an Army Commendation Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, an Iraqi Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, a Global War on Terror Service Medal and an Army Service Medal. His commendations include: the Combat Action Badge, the Ranger tab, the Army Aviation badge, and the Air Assault Badge.
“John’s experience and leadership have made him a terrific asset to the Trust Fund Board,” Barnes said. “This is a well-deserved honor for John, and I look forward to working with him in his new role.”
James was appointed to the Trust Board in 2012. He is vice president of operations at the Detroit-based James Group International, a global provider of supply chain management, logistics and e-commerce services. James will earn his Master’s in Science in supply chain management from Penn State University later this year and his MBA from the University of Michigan in 2015. For more information, visit michiganveterans.com or call 517-284-5298.
The Michigan Veterans Trust Fund awards emergency grants to combat veterans when an unforeseen situation has caused a temporary financial emergency or hardship that a grant, if approved, would resolve.
