Col. (Ret.) James F. Chastain, Jr. ’96 Inducted into the Presbyterian College ROTC Hall of Fame

Retired U.S. Army colonel James F. Chastain, Jr., a 1996 graduate of Presbyterian College, was inducted Friday into his alma mater’s Reserve Officer Training Corps Hall of Fame.

Chastain, who retired from service in 2023 after 27 years of military service, played linebacker for the Blue Hose, was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, and was the Wysor Saber winner as cadet commander of the Highlander Battalion at PC.

Chastain’s long military career took him around the world to serve various duties, including a tour as commander of the U.S. Forces Korea’s Ground Component Command Combined Analysis Center at Camp Humphreys in South Korea. After two tours there, he joined the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he served as an assistant professor and an assistant football coach.

After serving at West Point, Chastain earned a master’s degree in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University, which earned him a role as strategic intelligence advisor to U.S. ambassadors Karl Eikenberry and Ryan Crocker in Kabul, Afghanistan. Following his fifth tour in Afghanistan and several other high-level intelligence posts, he was selected to attend the National War College in Washington, D.C., where he earned another master’s degree in national security strategy.

After graduation, Chastain served as deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Europe Eurasia Regional Center before taking on his final leadership position as deputy director for analytical operations at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. His storied career has earned Chastain numerous awards and medals, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star.

According to Col. (Ret.) Jamerson Moses ’97, a classmate, teammate, fraternity brother, and soldier, there is much more to Chastain than medals and achievements.

“The bio talks about James’s achievements and impact,” Moses said. “Going a little deeper, it implies character and values. It speaks to inspiration and influence. It implies family. It implies resilience. It is woven throughout his service. James’s story serves as a reminder to us all of the power of loyalty, integrity, and genuine connection – values we strive to uphold, whether in uniform or not. His induction into the Hall of Fame celebrates not just his rank but the man behind the service, the leader, and the friend we all admire.”

Moses recalled his “brother by choice” as a leader, a student-athlete who prioritized scholarship, a faithful friend with a sharp sense of humor, and an exemplary soldier from a family of soldiers.

Moses said Chastain connected deeply with people at PC and in the military.

“James is a man who builds real relationships – not for show but because he genuinely cares,” Moses said. “Even today, he’s the first to reach out. Every day, we have a text thread with several of our fraternity brothers that are here today. He’s the first to get that connection going every day. The first to share a laugh or the first to lend a hand, to reach out and check in.

“His loyalty runs deep, and it’s a loyalty that has shaped so many lives, so many of you here today. For those of us who know him, we’ve seen that success isn’t about individual achievement. It’s not about all those things we read in his bio. It’s about the bonds you build along the way. And James’ commitment to those he cares about has made a lasting impact on everyone around him, on all of us here. And showing that true success comes through the connections we build and nurture.”

Chastain’s career is still to be commended, Moses said.

“It’s a career marked by purpose,” he said. “James’ career speaks for itself, filled with achievements that reflect his selfless service and dedication. James has taken on some of the toughest roles with grace and grit. But beyond the impressive titles and accolades, all those things that we read in the bio, it’s the impact that James has had on the lives of others that stands out most.”

At West Point, for example, Chastain did more than teach, Moses noted.

“James didn’t just teach military geography or global cultures,” he said. “He mentored cadets. He taught them. He coached them. He guided them with integrity and care. I believe, James, that’s one of the things that you’re most proud of in your service.”

Moses said Chastain is a man who lives his values without apology.

“Integrity isn’t just a concept to him, it’s who he is,” Moses said. “In every role he’s held, serving as a linebacker on the football team, an officer in Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity, in student government, in the military, leading military teams to being a strategic advisor to the ambassadors, James has remained true to himself and to what’s right.”

Chastain thanked the college’s Army ROTC Alumni Council for the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also thanked his alma mater for providing him with a “transformational” education that served him well throughout his years of service in the military.

“Wherever I was, I was able to bring out topics to situations to relate them to the human condition and to geopolitical interests of the United States, and often bringing back Thucydides and many others as we understand what it takes to live this life and provide security,” he said.

Chastain thanked his former classmates, coaches, professors, and family, including his wife, Ami, a 1993 PC graduate, for their support throughout his life and service.

He closed with advice for PC’s newest cadets in the Highlander Battalion.

“What you learn every day is going to matter in how you protect your soldiers and how you further the interest of the United States,” he said. “When I was here doing PT every morning, I thought about it, but when I was actually there on the DMZ of North Korea, across the border in Estonia on the Russia-Estonia line, when I was in Afghanistan looking into the Hindu Kush, and in Beijing talking and studying the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army, I had no idea the opportunities that were going to come to me, and I’m very thankful for those opportunities and whatever impact I was able to help with for the country. That’s your future. Take it. It means a lot that you are taking that up for us.”

Chastain owns Chastain Analysis Strategy and Training and works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He and Ami reside in D.C.

Photo: Presbyterian College ROTC Hall of Fame inductee Col. (Ret.) James F. Chastain, Jr., is pictured with PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson (left) and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) John Gentry.