James Pierotti joined Canada’s Air Force in 1989 as an air navigator. His first tours were tactical airlift operations on the CC-130 Hercules, and electronic-warfare-officer operations on the CT-133 Silver Star. After a pivotal experience flying over the crash site of Swiss Air 111 on 3 September 1998, he went on to complete five tours within the SAR community, either flying the CC-130 Hercules in the SAR role or within a joint rescue coordination centre (JRCC). He has operational experience as the chief of combat rescue in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 2008 to April 2009, with the International Security Assistance Force. He commanded JRCC Victoria from July 2009 to July 2012, which was a career highlight. At time of publication, he was still serving in a teaching position at the NATO School Oberammergau in Germany.