Benyshek, Carolyn

James C. McReynolds, Jr (aka ‘Mac’) is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with twenty-three  years of active duty in what was then known as the communications-computer career field. Immediately  after active duty (2000), he was employed for two years with Verizon Communications as a manager in the  Norfolk, Virginia Dispatch Center. Heeding the call once again from the government sector, he returned as  a defense contractor in 2002 supporting Joint Forces Command at Norfolk Naval Base and the headquarters  in Suffolk, Virginia until his retirement in 2012.  

Upon retiring from the Air Force, James felt the commitment to “give back” for his good fortune while  offering his experience and service to those in need. He responded to an article in the local paper asking for  volunteers to assist the York County Meals on Wheels program and thought he would spend time  delivering meals as a driver to learn more about the organization and how he might be able to contribute.  He met with the author of the newspaper article who also was serving as the Meals on Wheels Treasurer.  By the time he attended his first Meals on Wheels quarterly meeting, Mac was astonished when he was  nominated and approved as the new treasurer. Mac served as treasurer for nineteen years and in 2019, he  was nominated and voted in as chairman. A position he is honored to still hold today. 

The USAFA Way of Life (WOL) Alumni Group is an organization that has always been near and dear to  Mac’s heart. In June 2002, at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., he was one of the cadre of  USAFA alumni on the initial planning committee to brainstorm and document the purpose, mission  statement, goals, and organizational structure of what became the USAFA WOL Alumni Group. Mac was  one of three who traveled to USAFA to make the case with the Association of Graduates (AOG) President  that the timing was right to honor the first class of African-American USAFA graduates (3 in the Class of  ’63) by having an all-class African-American USAFA alumni reunion with AOG sponsorship. They  advocated to have the organization accepted as one of the newly established AOG Affinity Groups with all  of the privileges and responsibilities associated therein. This culminated in the first ever USAFA Way of  Life 2003 Alumni Reunion, (June 2003), “Celebrating 40 Years of African-American Graduates”.  Honorees: Charles Bush, Roger Sims, and Isaac Payne. The attendees voted to formalize the WOL  organization by nominating and voting in a slate of officers. Mac was elected as secretary. Later, he was  asked to step down as secretary to lead the membership committee. Richard Hall (USAFA ’79) was elected  the first President of the Way of Life Alumni Group. Rich was a tireless and passionate mentor and the  visionary and chief architect of the 2010 Inaugural Super Union, the first gathering of African-American  graduates of all five service academies at National Harbor, MD (Aug 2010). Even though Mac was active  in all aspects of Super Reunion I, he will tell you he was just holding on to Rich’s flight suit. Not satisfied  with Super Reunion I, Rich and Mac repeated the event, two years later, only bigger and better with Super  Reunion II at Walt Disney World Orlando, FL (Aug 2012).  

In his local community, Mac’s actions are closely aligned with the mission of USAFA Admissions: To  seek, recruit, and deliver a diverse group of young men and women who possess the attributes to become  U.S. Air Force and Space Force in service to our Nation. 

• Served as Chair as well as a member for several Virginia congressmen Service Academy  Advisory Boards (SAAB). The SAAB is comprised of community volunteers who are Academy Graduates, Active Regular, Reserve & National Guard Officers, or Military Retired Officers. The SAAB advises, interviews, and assists in the Virginia nomination process for the U.S. Service  Academies. If local candidates receive appointments to the Academy, Mac maintains contact and  supports them through graduation. Some have kept in contact even after graduation. 
• Coordinates with the Hampton Public School System each year to represent the Air Force  Academy at the Hampton Roads Regional College Fair event held at the Hampton, VA  Convention Center with nearly 100 attendees from educational institutions throughout the U.S. Our primary intent is to inform interested students/parents and counselors/educators about  opportunities, admissions requirements, and application procedures. 

Mac is married to the former Dorothy Wilson of Denver, Colorado and has two grown daughters.