Meet the Cadre

Lt Col Zachary A. Hegedish is the Commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 450, the Professor of Air and Space Studies and the Department Head for Air and Space Studies in the College of Engineering at Montana State University (MSU).

Lt Col Hegedish was commissioned in 2007 upon graduation from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio with a degree in Political Science.  After commissioning, he attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, TX and has completed operational tours as a KC-135R/T Pilot at Fairchild AFB, WA and Chief of Flight Safety & KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot at Royal Air Force base Mildenhall, England.  Lt Col Hegedish also commanded Detachment 1, 730th Air Mobility Squadron, Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. During his command, Lt Col Hegedish was responsible for the forward-deployed command and control, aerial port and aircraft maintenance on DoD aircraft executing JCS-directed contingency, humanitarian relief and joint/combined exercise missions on the Island of Diego Garcia. Most recently Lt Col Hegedish completed a Major Command staff assignment as the Branch Chief of Doctrine, Policy, and International Affairs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL. 

LtCol Hegedish has accumulated over 1000 combat flight hours in the KC-135, with multiple combat deployments supporting United States efforts in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, INHERENT RESOLVE, JUNIPER MICRON, and SPARTAN SHIELD.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Captain Gregory is the Operations Officer at Detachment 450.  He is an Assistant Professor of Military Air and is also responsible for leading, training, counseling and evaluating students and cadets in the Detachment.  

Capt Gregory received his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 2014 and entered Active Duty as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work with the following aircraft: F-16C/D, F-35A, A-10, AC-130W, MC-130J and other manned and unmanned light aircraft. The Capt’s previous duties include multiple Flight Commander positions, Aircraft Maintenance Unit Officer In Charge, Wing Executive Officer, and Maintenance Operations Officer. He has been assigned to units at Hill AFB, UT, and Cannon AFB, NM in the Continental United States, as well as Osan AB, Republic of South Korea and deployed locations overseas.

[email protected] 

[email protected]  

 

Captain Means is the Recruiting Officer at Detachment 450.  She is an Assistant Professor of Military Air and Space Studies and provides instruction on each level of the Air Force ROTC program. 

Capt Means entered the Air Force in 2017 after receiving her commission through the ROTC program at the University of Idaho where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Capt Means started her Air Force career as an Acquisitions Officer at Hill AFB managing the sustainment of the T-38 Talon, one of our oldest and most challenging aircraft. While at Hill, she was an Executive Officer of a 1,000-member division and managed a $320M modernization effort for the F-16 Falcon to ensure the interoperability of two critical sensor programs on the USAF’s largest fighter fleet. Most recently, Capt Means served as the Next Generation Ejection Seat Program Manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In this position, she was responsible for leading a $1.4B ejection seat upgrade program through two critical milestones and provided a 66% safer seat for the F-15, F-16, F-22 and B-1 aircraft platforms. Capt Means completed her Master of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering at Colorado State University in 2023 and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

[email protected] 

[email protected]  

 

Technical Sergeant Trevor Lewis is the Enlisted Instructor at Detachment 450. He is responsible for duties as an enlisted advisor to all Det 450 cadets. TSgt Lewis instructs AS100 courses and also manages Det 450's Unit Fitness Program, and Records.  

TSgt Lewis enlisted on Active Duty in 2009 as a Security Forces member. TSgt Lewis has served in various roles throughout his career in support of security and law and order missions, as a Combat Arms instructor, and most recently as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of training for a unit of over 200 Security Forces personnel. He has been assigned to units at Offutt AFB, NE, Gowen Field, ID, and Shaw AFB, SC. TSgt Lewis has deployed three times, including two deployments to Afghanistan in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Indiana Institute of Technology and has also completed several military professional education courses.

[email protected]

 

[email protected] 

 

Technical Sergeant Celeste Valenzuela is the NCOIC of  Administration at Detachment 450.  TSgt Valenzuela manages cadet records, Field Training Prep, medical/physicals, cadet pay, cadet uniforms, enlistments, categorization and commissioning.  

TSgt Valenzuela entered the Air Force in October, 2014. Her background includes positions at the squadron, group, and wing level filling various roles including Postal Clerk, Commander Support Staff, and Executive Support Administrator. TSgt Valenzuela completed her Associate of Applied Science degree from the Community College of the Air Force in 2021 and is working on her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Her assignments include, Misawa AFB, Japan, and Davis Monthan AFB, AZ. Additionally, SSgt Valenzuela has deployed in support of OPERATION FREEDOM’S SENTINEL and the Resolute Support mission.

[email protected]

[email protected] 

Ms. Turney is a veteran of the US Air Force and a former student of Montana State University.  As the department's administrative coordinator, she is responsible for coordinating departmental actions with the university and headquarters AFROTC.

Ms. Melissa Turney enlisted in the United States Air Force after high school.  She trained with the 82^nd Medical Squadron at Sheppard AFB, TX.  After serving her country, she switched her focus to education.  Ms. Turney was the registrar and office manager at Lutheran High School in Elk Grove, CA before transitioning to San Juaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA where she assisted students with transferring from the 2-year college to 4-year university.  She has been the Program Coordinator with Det 450 at Montana State University since 2016. 

[email protected]

[email protected]