Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Higgins is the Deputy Commander for the 159th Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, La.
Lt Col Higgins graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2004 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. In 2011 he earned an MBA in Project Management from Trident University. Lt Col Higgins attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB where he earned his pilot aeronautical rating in 2006. After completion of SUPT, Lt Col Higgins was assigned to the 41st Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, MS as a first assignment instructor pilot, flying the T-6 Texan II. While assigned to the 41st Flying Training Squadron, he served as a Check pilot and Chief of Training. Lt Col Higgins was then assigned to the 335th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina where he served as a Flight Commander, Chief of Scheduling, as well as an Instructor Pilot. There he deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom amassing over 300 combat hours. Lt Col Higgins was next assigned to the 389th Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home AFB where he served as Assistant Director of Operations, Director of Staff, and as an Instructor and Evaluator Pilot. Upon leaving the active-duty Air Force, Lt Col Higgins joined the Louisiana ANG in 2016. During his tour he has served as Flight Commander, Wing Program Manager, Alert Force Commander, Chief of Standardizations and Evaluations, and Director of Operations for the 122 FS. Lt Col Higgins served as the commander for the 122nd Fighter Squadron from 2021 to 2023 prior to moving into his current position as 159th Deputy Wing Commander. While in the 159th Fighter Wing, he has been on numerous training detachments and deployments outside the continental United States to locations including Germany, Holland, Bulgaria, Guam, Singapore, and Japan.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science degree, Business Administration, United States Air Force Academy
2004 Aerospace Basic Course
2011 Masters of Business Administration, Correspondence Course, Trident University
2012 Squadron Officer School
2019 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence Course
2023 Air War College, Correspondence Course
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2004 - August 2005, Director of Unit Readiness and Deployments, Barksdale AFB, La.
2. August 2005 - September 2006, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. September 2006 - February 2007, Student, T-6 Instructor Pilot Training, Randolph AFB, Tx.
4. February 2007 – March 2010, T-6 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Training, Columbus AFB, Ms.
5. March 2010 – March 2011, Student F-15E Flight Training, Seymour Johnson AFB, Nc.
6. March 2011 – May 2014, F-15E Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Seymour Johnson AFB, Nc.
7. May 2014 - November 2016, F-15E Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, Mountain Home AFB, Id.
8. November 2016 – January 2017, Student F-15C Transition Course, Klamath Falls, Or.
9. January 2017 - March 2018, Flight Commander, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
10. March 2018 - October 2019, F-15C Instructor Pilot, Chief of Wing Programs, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
11. October 2019 - March 2021, F-15C Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Stan/Eval, 122nd FS, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
12. March 2021 – October 2021, Director of Operations, 122nd Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
13. October 2021 – July 2023, Commander 122nd Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
14. July 2023 - Present, Deputy Commander 159th Fighter Wing, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: Over 3100, including over 300 combat hours
Military Aircraft Flown: F-15 C-D-E, AT-38, T-38, T-6, T-37, DA-20
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, June 2004
First Lieutenant, June 2006
Captain, June 2008
Major, September 2014
Lieutenant Colonel, May 2019