Justin Niederer is a retired Colonel in the US Air Force who started his career flying C-130 Hercules aircraft on missions supporting Operation Joint Guard in Eastern Europe, Operation Southern Watch in the Middle East, and unnamed operations in South America. More recently, he commanded a Contingency Response Group responsible for providing first response teams to establish initial airfield operations for contingency, humanitarian relief, non-combatant evacuation, and homeland defense missions. In this capacity, he commanded 600 personnel and was responsible for their training and development.

He deployed with his unit and led teams establishing logistics capabilities in Romania and Iraq supporting combat operations, and in the Caribbean and US supporting humanitarian response operations following Hurricanes Rita, Irma, Maria, and Michael. Justin was designated Senior Airfield Authority at airfields in St. Croix and St. Thomas, synchronizing efforts by the Department of Defence, Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Safety Administration, and local authorities to safely evacuate patients, distribute humanitarian aid packages, and return the airports to normal operations.

Additionally, Justin served as the Chief of the Air Mobility Division for the United States Air Forces in Europe and Africa. He was responsible for leading a team of 45 personnel coordinating all airlift, air refueling, medical evacuation, and VIP movements in those theaters of operation.

Finally, Justin served as a Strategist at Special Operations Command Headquarters, where he advised the Commander, coordinated talking points and created meeting agendas for engagements with Congressional Delegates, international dignitaries, and the President of the United States to support top-level decision-making and strategy planning to forge productive relationships with global partners.

Justin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Criminal Justice from NC State University, a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University, and Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. He also graduated from the Air Force Squadron Officer School, Army Command and General Staff College, Joint Forces Staff College, and Air War College.