Meet the Leadership: New 509th MDSS commander enjoys military service

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Stan Coleman
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Lt Col Keith Higley, 509th Medical Support Squadron commander, appreciates the experience and the level of responsibility the Air Force assigned to him at the age of 20 as a young missile technician, managing individual missile site maintenance crews at Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD. 

"I was a young team chief who was afforded the opportunity to have a job with a high level of responsibility without constant direct supervision," he said. 

That perception and early experience blossomed into pursuing a career which landed him a commission as an officer and matured into a military career of leadership and administration. 

Colonel Higley was born and raised in Chicago, Ill. The sequence of events which began his military career started with his enlistment into the Air Force at the age of 17 with the desire to achieve a college education and having an opportunity to "do something meaningful." 

Colonel Higley shared that one of the most memorable moments in his career was his Iraqi Freedom deployment to Southwest Asia in 2003 in support of the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing. He was at the rank of captain and served as a hospital administrator for a deployed medical facility. 

While serving in the Air Force as an enlisted Airman, Colonel Higley's academic studies earned him a master's degree in business administration. His sense of practicality led him to make the Air Force Medical Service a career choice. "I was looking for a career path that would allow me to provide service to the Airmen and would offer opportunities to be successful in the civilian sector upon retirement," he said. "It was important that I would have a career that served people. I felt that taking care of our troops in the Air Force was a great way to do that." 

Colonel Higley values his career choice experiences which matured his outlook on military service. "There is a difficulty in balancing our wartime mission against our peacetime mission with limited resources," he said. "Military medical service is a very controversial topic in our country right now. We're tasked with balancing limited resources and providing quality medical service to our war fighters, dependents, and retirees. 

"Every day we are trying to justify our relevance to congress, many of whom believe we should outsource all DOD medical care. Hence we need to be very good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars and always remember the healthcare we provide comes at the expense of the iron we need to fight the fight." 

In addition to the management responsibilities of his job, Colonel Higley enjoys his exposure and interaction with the young Airmen at Whiteman. "Our enlisted and officer corps are constantly being rejuvenated by the fine youth that have chosen to serve our great nation." he said. "Their presence keeps me refreshed and makes me feel youthful and driven. 

"The Airmen and the support of the Airmen are key to a successful Air Force. I expect our Airmen to adhere to the Air Force Core Values and take great pride for being part of the greatest Air Force in the world," said Colonel Higley. "To do that they must understand the importance of how they fit into the mission of the 509th and the Air Force." 

According to Colonel Higley, it takes the ability to balance your work responsibilities, your family life, and time for yourself. "Some people lean more to one side or the other," he said. "That's not a good thing, when you help Airmen maintain that balance you have better and happier Airmen that are well suited to accomplish their piece of a complex mission." Colonel Higley believes that the most challenging part of his job is working to keep scarce resources properly distributed in a constantly changing operating environment. 

"I look at my career and how the world situation has changed since my enlistment during the Cold War compared to now," he said. "Change is the one constant in military life.
"The one thing that won't change with my team is the support that the 509th Medical Support Squadron gives to this medical facility," said Colonel Higley, "and my assurance that our Airmen are successful in their own endeavors and have enjoyment in their work."
Core Values 

"The Air Force Core Value of Service before Self has a strong presence in American military history," said Colonel Higley. "Lt. Col. James Doolittle and 16 B-25 aircrews (known as the Doolittle's Raiders) prepared for a bombing raid on a Japanese island and knew that the odds of their aircraft returning to the carrier they launched from or to the mainland was slim to none, yet they carried it out with amazing valor. The raid was planned to demonstrate that Japan was vulnerable to an air attack such as the attack they launched on Pearl Harbor. Also, the attack was needed as a morale booster for the American people after the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

Colonel Higley is married to his wife, Cat, and has three boys and one girl.