Colonel James M. Harrington is the Deputy Director, Communications Systems (J6) and Deputy Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He is responsible for developing USSOCOM’s Information Technology strategy, as well as executing the Command’s C4 acquisition program. Colonel Harrington is also responsible for operating and maintaining USSOCOM's global SOF Information Enterprise, providing support to more than 70,000 special operations personnel. Most recently, Colonel Harrington was a National Security Affairs Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, California.  

Colonel Harrington entered the Air Force in 1998 at the United States Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated and received his commission in 2002 with a degree in Computer Science. While at the Air Force Academy, Colonel Harrington was a freefall jumpmaster and member The Wings of Blue parachute demonstration team, completing over 440 freefall jumps. He is a Master Cyberspace Operations Officer and Joint Qualified Officer with extensive training and experience in deployed communications, network engineering, information operations, cyberspace operations, and joint planning. He led SCOPE EDGE teams around the Air Force and has led Airmen through major contingencies in Europe and the Pacific. Colonel Harrington is a two-time graduated squadron commander who has served within each of the Operations, Plans & Programs, Cyberspace and Communication Directorates at the MAJCOM, COCOM and Strategic Multi-National Headquarters level. He deployed several times supporting OIF, OEF, JTF-HOA and various other named operations.  

Colonel Harrington is married to the former Catherine Bolger of Panama City, Florida and has an eleven-year-old son, named James. 

EDUCATION 

2002 Bachelors of Science in Computer Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO 2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL 

2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL 

2008 Masters of Science in Management Information Systems, University of Illinois, Springfield, IL 2016 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KS 

2018 Joint Forces Staff College (JPME II), National Defense University, Norfolk, VA 

2018 Air War College (non-Resident) 

2021 Defense Ventures Fellow, Shift/Material Security, Redwood City, CA 

2023 National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution at Stanford University, CA

Current as of: 9/9/2024 

ASSIGNMENTS 

1. Jun 2002 - May 2003, Chief, Air Traffic Control & Landing Systems Flight, 1 CBCS, Ramstein AB, Germany 2. May 2003 – Dec 2003, OIC, Satellite Communications Flight, 1 CBCS, Ramstein AB, Germany 3. Dec 2003 – Jun 2004, Action Officer, Commander’s Action Group, 86 AW, Ramstein AB, Germany 4. Jun 2004 – Aug 2006, Team Chief / Network Engineer, SCOPE EDGE, AFCA, Scott AFB, IL 5. Aug 2006 – Aug 2007, Executive Officer, Architectures & Analysis Division, AFCA, Scott AFB, IL 6. Aug 2007 – Jul 2008, Chief, Network Operations Branch, AFCA, Scott AFB, IL 

7. Jul 2008 – May 2010, Communications Flight Commander, 36 MRS, Andersen AFB, Guam 8. Dec 2008 – Jul 2009, Executive Officer, 380 AEW, Al Dhafra AB, UAE 

9. May 2010 – Jul 2011, Director of Operations, 644 CBCS, Andersen AFB, Guam 

10. Jul 2011 – Apr 2013, Chief, Information Operations Integration Branch, HQ ACC/A3, Langley AFB, VA 11. Apr 2013 – Nov 2013, Lead Cyber Ops Planner, USCENTCOM Special Plans Working Gp, MacDill AFB, FL 12. Nov 2013 – Jun 2014, Executive Officer, HQ ACC/A6, Langley AFB, VA 

13. Jun 2014 – Jun 2015, Commander, 355th Communications Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ 14. Jun 2015 – Jul 2016, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KS 15. Jul 2016 – Jun 2018, Strategic Cyberspace Operations Planner, JCYBER/COE, SHAPE HQ, Belgium 16. Jun 2018 – Jun 2020, Commander, 99th Communications Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV 17. Jun 2020 – Jun 2022, Chief, Cyber Protection Branch, Office of the Air Force CIO, Pentagon, DC 18. Jun 2022 – Jun 2023, National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 19. Jun 2023 – Present, Deputy Director, J6 / Deputy CIO, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, FL 

JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 

1. Apr 2013 – Nov 2013, Lead Cyber Ops Planner, USCENTCOM Special Plans Working Gp, MacDill AFB, FL 2. Jul 2016 – Jun 2018, Strategic Cyberspace Operations Planner, JCYBER/COE, SHAPE HQ, Belgium 3. Jun 2023 – Present, Deputy Director, J6 / Deputy CIO, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, FL 

MAJOR AWARDS  

Defense Meritorious Service Medal 

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters 

Joint Service Commendation Medal 

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

ACHIEVEMENTS  

Hoover Institution Robert and Marion Oster National Security Affairs Fellow at Stanford University Top 20% Graduate – U.S. Army Command and General Staff College 

Distinguished Graduate - Intermediate Network Warfare Training 

Outstanding Student Award - U of Illinois Springfield, Management Information Systems Department Top Third Graduate - Squadron Officer School  

2021 General John P. Jumper Warfighting Integration Officer Award 

2017 Outstanding NATO FGO of the Year (NATO Eagle Award) 

2017 SHAPE Chief of Staff Award 

2013 HQ ACC/A6 FGO of the Year 

2012 USAF Information Operations FGO of the Year 

2012 USAF Electronic Warfare Unit of the Year Award 

2012 ACC Information Operations Unit of the Year Award 

2011 Lt Gen Harold W. Grant Best Small Communications Unit Award 

2011 CSAF Team Excellence Award Finalist 

2009 36 Mobility Response Squadron Outstanding CGO of the Year 

2007 Air Force Communications Agency Outstanding CGO of the Year 

2005 Air Force Communications Agency C&I CGO of the Year 

2002 USAFE C&I Small Workcenter of the Year 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 

Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002 

First Lieutenant May 29, 2004 

Captain May 29, 2006 

Major Apr 1, 2012 

Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 2017 

Colonel Jun 1, 2023