SPRINGFIELD, IL --
Brig. Gen. James Silvasy retired from the Illinois Air National Guard, after more than 37 years of service.
Silvasy, from Gurnee, Illinois, began his career in the active Army as a helicopter pilot after commissioning through the University of New Hampshire’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1985. He transitioned into the Illinois Air National Guard in 1990 where he served as a KC-135 pilot with the 126th Air Refueling Wing. After joining the the 183d Wing, he would become Commander of the 183d Air Operations Group, and then move on to Joint Force Headquarters, where he would finish his career as Chief of Staff of the Illinois Air National Guard.
General Silvasy is a Command Pilot with over 4,900 flight hours in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He has over 150 combat hours and is a veteran of Operations Restore Hope, Deny Flight, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Unified Protector. He is a qualified Dual Status Commander. General Silvasy has been a commercial airline pilot since 1996 with over 10,000 hours in the B-747, B-777, B-767, B-757 and B-727 aircraft.