Col. James "Ashley" Mills was born in Richton, Mississippi, in 1979. He enlisted on his seventeenth birthday in Det. 1/Co B/890th Engineer Battalion in 1996 and attended Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, during the summer that year.
As a Private, he returned from Basic Training and graduated from Richton High School in 1997 before returning to Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, in order to complete Advanced Individual Training (AIT) as an Interior Electrician (51R). After AIT, he attended Mississippi State University (MSU), where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Commission as a Second Lieutenant through the MSU ROTC Department in December of 2000. 2LT Mills then completed Military Intelligence Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.
After MIOBC, 2LT Mills began his commissioned military career in the Mississippi Army National Guard (MSARNG) with the 31st ROC in Jackson. He also began his full-time technician career as the Program Analyst for the State Army Aviation Officer. 1LT Mills was deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II in 2004 with the 185 Aviation Group. After the deployment, he attended Initial Entry Rotary Wing training at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, where he was awarded his Aviator Wings in January of 2006.
After flight school, Cpt. Mills assumed command of HHC/1-185 Avn. Regt. and later A/1-185 Avn. Regt. Cpt. Mills deployed A/1-185 Avn. Regt. to Kosovo in 2007-08. Upon return, he was transferred to the 184 Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Hattiesburg, where he picked up the rank of Major and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011-12. After returning from Afghanistan, MAJ Mills went back to assume the roles of Executive Officer and Operations Officer in HQ/1-185 Avn. Reg. in Tupelo. He then transferred to the 1108 TASM-G in Gulfport, where he served as a maintenance platoon leader before being promoted to Lt. Col. and serving two years as the S2/S3 for the Group. Lt. Col. Mills commanded A/1108 TASM-G from June 2016 to June 2018 before commanding the 1-185th Assault Helicopter Battalion from June 2018 to July 2020. After battalion command, he was assigned Chief of Staff for the 66th Troop Command in Jackson until January 2022. Col. Mills assumed command of the 185th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, Jackson, in June 2022.
Col. Mills has attended various schools in his career to include: Airborne, Air Assault, Captain’s Career Course, UH-60 Instructor Pilot, Combined Arms Exercise, Intermediate Level Education Common Core and Advanced Operations, Aviation Maintenance Officer Course, and Aviation Pre-Command Course.
His awards and decorations include: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, NATO non-article 5 for Kosovo and Afghanistan, MS Magnolia Cross, MS War Medal, MS Emergency Service Medal, MS Service School Medal, MS Longevity Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Senior Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Gold German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, and Silver German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge.
Col. Mills earned a Master’s of Commercial Aviation from Delta State University in May 2015. He will graduate from the U.S. Army War College in July 2022 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He is currently employed as a full-time technician at the Army Aviation Support Facility #3 in Meridian as the Facility Commander. He is an active life member of the National Guard Association of Mississippi, National Guard Association U.S., and Quad-A.
Col. Mills resides in Pelahatchie with his wife, Tammy Mills, and they are active members of Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon. He has one daughter, Haley Mills, a student at Hinds Community College in Raymond.
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