James is a Cavalryman who received his commission as an Armor Officer, in 2005, from the United States Military Academy.
Following completion of training at Fort Knox, James was assigned to 2-8 CAV at Fort Cavazos, TX as a tank platoon leader, deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, and later served as HHT Brigade Executive Officer in 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. After completing the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course and Cavalry Leader’s Course at Fort Knox, KY, he served as the Commander of Dog Troop, 1/16 CAV. He then moved to Fort Carson, Colorado and commanded Crazy Troop and Havoc Troop, 1-10 CAV during Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12.
Following Command, the Anderson Family moved to the University of Texas at Arlington for an assignment as an Assistant Professor of Military Science. James attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. Following CGSC, he served as the 2d Cavalry Regiment Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), and subsequently as the 4/2 CR Squadron Operations Officer and Executive Officer in Vilseck, Germany. In 2019, James served an unaccompanied assignment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, supporting the Kingdom’s National Guard via OPM-SANG. In 2020, the Anderson Family moved to Oahu, Hawaii, where James founded the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC), the Army’s newest Combat Training Center. He most recently served as the Chief of Lethality for Army Futures Command at Fort Eustis, VA.
LTC Anderson’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medals, Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, and the Combat Action Badge.
James is fortunate enough to be married to the former Mary Catherine Blizzard of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Together they have four children, Jeb, Landry, Sawyer, and Ellis.