Biography
Commander Billings completed
a successful 22 year naval career in aviation and has qualified in more
than 20 different aircraft. He rose from the enlisted ranks to become the Commanding
Officer of the Navy’s oldest combat search and rescue squadron.
He completed four tours in support of the Vietnam War, served as Air Boss onboard the USS Belleua Wood (LHA-3) and was a member of the Navy’s only helicopter attack squadron (which was the Navy’s most decorated squadron of the Vietnam era.) Commander Billings was awarded more the 40 medals and citations for his service to his
country, including the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross.
The author holds a master’s
degree in computer systems from the Naval Postgraduate School and
an undergraduate degree in engineering. As a computer systems engineer and program
manager he has invented, designed, and built ground support hardware
and software for combat aircraft that were used in Desert Storm.
As Director of Information Technology
for the South Carolina Department of Public Safety he initiated
and implemented the largest successful systems integration project for the Division of Motor Vehicles “Project Phoenix”. Making the South Carolina DMV one of the most modern in
the Nation.
