Colonel Justin Highley is originally from Auburn, ME and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1995 with a commission as an Aviation officer. After flight training he was assigned to 1-2 Aviation at Camp Page, Korea as an Apache Platoon Leader. His other operational assignments include Battalion Adjutant, 404 Aviation; Assistant Operations Officer, 1-4 Aviation/4th Aviation Brigade/229 Aviation Regiment; and Company Commander, 1-229 Aviation Regt. COL Highley also served as an instructor in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy.
After transitioning to the Army Acquisition Corps, COL Highley served in PEO Aviation as the Assistant Product Manager (APM) for the Aviation Mission Planning System and as the APM for the Apache Longbow. COL Highley was then assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command, first as the APM for Sensors and Weapons and then as the Product Manager for SP2100. COL Highley then served as the Project Director for Joint Services in JPEO Armaments and Ammunition, managing the modernization of the DoD’s Ammunition Industrial Base. COL Highley is currently serving as the Commander of the Technology Development Directorate-Aviation, Systems Integration Directorate, leading S&T development and prototyping efforts for the aviation enterprise.
COL Highley’s education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy and a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, and is rated in the OH-58 Kiowa, AH-64 Apache, and the C-12 King Air.
His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Senior Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.
COL Highley’s hobbies include triathlon, cycling, and real estate investing. He is married to the former Melissa Silva of Auburn, ME, and they have two children, Tyler and Alexis