From Air Force Veteran to CAF Executive: Jim Lasche’s Story of Service
Dallas, Texas (May 11, 2026)- As part of Military Appreciation Month, the Commemorative Air Force is proud to recognize the veterans whose leadership and service continue to shape the organization today. This week, the CAF is honored to highlight Executive Vice President James “Jim” Lasche — a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel whose decades of military service still influence the way he leads, mentors, and supports the CAF mission every day.
In the days following the September 11 attacks, Lasche found himself standing alone in the rain at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, waiting beside an empty runway for a military Learjet that had unexpectedly been dispatched just for him. At the time, he was a C-130 pilot and major in the Air Force. He had no idea why he had been called back to Air Mobility Command headquarters during one of the most uncertain moments in modern American military history.
“I thought maybe they had the wrong guy,” Lasche later recalled with a laugh during a CAF leadership webinar. “There were probably multiple times when I could’ve said, ‘Look, I’m not the guy.’”
Instead, he boarded the aircraft.
Within hours, Lasche found himself inside the Air Mobility Command battle staff, surrounded by senior officers attempting to organize one of the largest military airlift responses in decades. Despite the pressure, uncertainty, and self-doubt, he stepped into the role he was asked to fill — helping develop operational plans that would support the military’s global response in the weeks following 9/11.
That moment would become one of many defining leadership experiences during a 23-year Air Force career that included flying C-130 aircraft, contingency planning operations, and leadership assignments across the mobility enterprise. Among his many roles, Lasche served as Deputy Director of Global Readiness, helping oversee contingency airlift planning for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and later as Commander of the Southwest Liaison Region.
But for Lasche, leadership was never about rank or recognition. “I’m not your Forrest Gump of leadership,” he joked during the interview. “I started out at the very bottom and just kept trying to learn as much as I could.”
That humility is part of what has made Lasche such an effective leader both during and after his military career.
Studies consistently show veterans bring valuable leadership skills into civilian and nonprofit organizations. According to a 2024 study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR professionals reported veterans outperform civilian employees in areas such as work ethic, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. The research also noted that veterans often excel in mission-focused environments where adaptability and accountability are essential. SHRM Veteran Workforce Study
Those qualities align closely with the work of the Commemorative Air Force.
With more than 80 Units operating historic aircraft across the country, the CAF relies heavily on volunteer leadership, coordination, and teamwork. Maintaining and operating vintage military aircraft requires organization, trust, technical expertise, and the ability to make decisions under pressure — qualities many veterans develop throughout military service.
“These CAF Units operate like little businesses,” Lasche explained during the webinar. “The responsibility is greater because the aircraft are out there flying, giving rides, and preserving history.”
After retiring from active duty, Lasche continued serving through volunteer organizations, museum programs, aviation education efforts, and eventually the CAF itself. He joined the organization in 2015 as Director of Maintenance Operations before later serving as Chief Aviation Officer and now Executive Vice President.
Interestingly, Lasche once said he was initially hired not because of maintenance experience, but because of his understanding of volunteer organizations and leadership.
That perspective has helped shape his approach inside the CAF, where he frequently travels to Units across the country, listening to members, mentoring leaders, and helping volunteers navigate the challenges that come with preserving living history.
Throughout his career, Lasche has emphasized that leadership is something developed over time — not something people are simply born with. “Leadership can be learned if you’re willing to keep growing,” he said.
He also believes effective leadership requires accountability and empathy, especially within volunteer organizations. “Admit when you’re wrong,” Lasche advised during the webinar. “If you make a bad call, own it.”
Those lessons continue guiding Lasche’s work today. Whether helping support CAF Units, mentoring volunteers, or preserving the stories behind the aircraft, his leadership reflects the same commitment to service that defined his military career.
For Lasche, service did not end when he left active duty. Today, that same sense of responsibility continues through the Commemorative Air Force — supporting volunteers, preserving history, and helping ensure the sacrifices and stories of earlier generations are never forgotten.
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