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Heroes on the Water appoints Neil Mullaney, Col (Ret) USAF as Executive Director

Neil Mullaney, Col (Ret) USAF cannot stay retired. He has tried – twice. When Heroes on the Water (HOW) came calling, Neil found himself intrigued enough to come out of his second retirement to start a new leadership role.

“I think really the tripwire for me was learning that HOW’s community went beyond just the military aspect. There are several military and veterans’ organizations that help with transitioning back to civilian life and fill the gap where the government might not be able to help,” says Neil, “It’s not the same for first responders. I have a soft spot for first responders. They’re out every day and night, experiencing trauma. Our police, fire and EMS don’t have the opportunity to decompress.”

“That’s what really intrigued me. HOW is inclusive of our nation’s other heroes. Once I realized that, I knew that I’d come out of retirement if HOW wanted me.”

As HOW’s new Executive Director, Neil brings decades of solid leadership experience to the table. He spent 24 years serving in various roles with United States Air Force. He received his commission from the University of Louisville’s Reserve Officer Training Corps where he earned numerous awards to include Distinguished Graduate. Neil’s distinguished military career includes leading the 123rd Airlift Wings Intelligence operations, commanding the 205th Combat Communications Squadron, and commanding one of 17 domestic response units charged with responding to terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.

As a Lieutenant, Neil deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm with the 1st Special Operations Wing. By 2010, Colonel Mullaney was leading a Joint Task Force in Afghanistan operating across four provinces.

Neil retired from the Air Force in 2013, where his next journey led him to becoming the Vice President / Chief Operating Officer of the Government Business at Humana, one of the largest insurance providers in the country. With so much experience in such vastly different fields, Neil says that the root of his passion for leadership lies in his desire to serve others and to use his position to create opportunities for others to be able to do the same.