He previously served as the acting commander of Combined Joint Task Force–Space Operations.

He is the first Army space operations officer to reach the rank of major general.

James first enlisted in the Mississippi National Guard in 1983, where he was assigned in medical and special forces units.

[4][5] After a 2017 reorganization, he then served as the director of operations, plans, and exercises of the Joint Force Space Component Command.

[9] He got promoted on 29 July 2021, making him the first Army space operations officer to achieve the rank of major general.