Colonel Dustin M. Hart is the Director of Public Affairs for Air Combat Command, which primarily organizes, trains, equips, and maintains combat-ready air, cyberspace, and electromagnetic spectrum forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense. The command operates more than 1,000 aircraft, 35 wings, 12 bases, and 1,336 units at more than 263 worldwide operating locations with 157,219 total force military and civilian personnel.
Col. Hart graduated with honors from University of Florida in 2002 and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He is a career Public Affairs Officer, serving in PA assignments at the wing, numbered air force, major command and combatant command levels. Additionally, he has served as the commander of the 341st Recruiting Squadron and the PA Assignments Officer at the Air Force Personnel Center.
Prior to his current position, Col. Hart was an academic instructor in the Department of Leadership and Warfighting at Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelors of Science in public relations, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
2003 Honor Graduate, Defense Information School, Fort Meade, Md.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Master of Science, National Security and Strategic Studies, College of Naval Command and Staff College, Newport, R.I.
2019 Air War College, by correspondence
2023 Master of Science, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002-July 2005, Public Affairs Officer and Directorate Executive Officer, HQ Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB Base, Ill.
2. August 2005-August 2007, Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, 347th Rescue Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
3. August 2007-September 2009, Chief of Public Affairs, 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. July 2008-July 2009, Information Operations Officer, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
5. October 2009-June 2012, Public Affairs Plans Officer, HQ NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
6. June 2012-July 2014, Chief, Public Affairs Officer Assignments, HQ Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas
7. July 2014-June 2015, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport Naval Station, R.I.
8. June 2015-June 2017, Commander, 341st Recruiting Squadron, San Antonio, Texas
9. June 2017-June 2020, Deputy Director, U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. June 2020-June 2021, Director, 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central) Public Affairs, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
11. July 2021-July 2022, SDE Fellow/Academic Instructor, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. July 2022-May 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2023-June 2024, Instructor, Department of Leadership and Warfighting, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2024 – Present, Director of Public Affairs, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2009-June 2012, Public Affairs Plans Officer, HQ NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a captain and major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major May 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2017
Colonel July 1, 2023
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2024)