Combat Airlifter of the Week: Staff Sgt. Justin "Dash" Hilliard

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

 

Name and Rank: Staff Sgt. Justin "Dash" Hilliard

Unit: 29th Weapons Squadron

Official Duty title: noncommissioned officer in charge of scheduling and training/ phase manager

Hometown: Ithaca, New York

Time in service: 6 years

Time at Little Rock: 5 years

Goals: Start a business

Hobbies: Hunting, fishing and motorcycles

Hilliard managed deployment tactics and mission planning as U.S. Central Command's sole C-130J Advanced Instructor School graduate, guiding eight career enlisted aviators and company grade officers to capture an unprecedented 98% mission effectiveness rate over three months.

Additionally, he led the development of four tactics, techniques and procedures for F-15E sustainment and armament operations in theaters, providing support for testing of a modernized bomb loader shoring system, increasing payload by 3,000 pounds and a cut load increase of 29%.

Finally, he executed a Forward Area Refueling Point certification event for 18 pilots and loadmasters, enabling the first joint F-35B/C-130J live event in United States Air Force Weapons School history. This solidified the need for unconventional use of airlift assets within the first island chain in line with Air Mobility Command's number one priority.