River Schilling
Meteorologist & Operations Manager
Minot,ND
Summary
Dedicated and highly seasoned operational meteorologist and leader with 22 years of professional experience devising operational weather forecasts and leading weather teams across the globe with a proven ability to deliver decision-grade weather information on-time and anywhere.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Installation Weather Department Manager
United States Air Force
Minot Air Force Base, ND
11.2017 - Current
- Managed vital installation weather office responsible for ensuring the protection of military assets in excess of $7B dollars and 8,000 military and civilian personnel.
- Program leader for weather observing, managed $3.7M in weather software and remote automated weather station (RAWS) equipment for 17 sites across 3,200 square miles, responsible for maximum uptime, maintenance, and data archiving for climatology and seasonal outlooks.
- Created a strategic partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS) to enhance information sharing, weather forecasting, and public safety.
- Drove 14-member team through four annual multi-installation capability exercises facilitating 63 aircraft launches totaling more than 1,000 flight hours and earning Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Weather Team of the Year 2019 and 2021.
- Collaborated with installation Emergency Management and Safety offices during five annual multi-day severe weather exercises that highlighted 27 installation readiness shortfalls resulting in $11.1M in upgrades.
- Integrated first fire weather decision statistical support matrix into base operating procedures
Senior Weather Analyst
United States Air Force
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
08.2013 - 11.2017
- Senior regional weather analyst for a 110-member operations team responsible for the Pacific area of operations covering 113-million square miles.
- Primary Air Operations Center (AOC) forecaster charged with delivering daily weather outlooks to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Commander and staff.
- Supervised mission weather briefing department tasked with developing more than 2,500 annual aviation forecasts and achieving a 92% mission success rate.
- Coordinated weather forecast support for 36 multi-national humanitarian and disaster response operations.
- Revised and streamlined outdated training plan that reduced certification time by 43% and improved operations accuracy and efficiency by 40% in three years.
- Employed HURTRAK software during four Pacific hurricane seasons to direct emergency shelter-in-place (SIP) and asset relocation operations for 54 tropical storm systems.
Special Operations Group Meteorologist & Team Lead
United States Air Force
Creech Air Force Base, NV
12.2007 - 08.2013
- Oversaw daily mission weather forecasts that ensured safe operation of $3.2 Billion in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) assets for US Central Command's area of responsibility.
- Directed production of more than 12,000 forecasts facilitating more than 172,000 flight-hours across 16,200 airborne missions annually.
- Employed Falcon View GIS mapping software to guide aircraft around significant weather hazards to high mission success.
- Involved with after-action report team to analyze missions to develop and improve strategies.
- Coordinated with senior leaders and assisted with a critical 12-week rapid implantation of a new flying unit and boosting mission capability by 30%.
- Directed vital $190,000 computer system upgrade that improved capabilities.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Emergency Management
American Military University
Charles Town, West Virginia08.2023
Skills
- Microsoft Word & Power Point
- Gibson Ridge Level 2 Analyst & Level 3 Radar
- Falcon View GIS
- Joint Environmental Toolkit (JET)
- Numerical Weather Prediction
- Aviation Weather Planning & Briefing
- Mark-4B Weather Satellite
- HURRTRAK Hurricane Tracking Software
- Planning and Implementation
- Process Improvement Strategies
Certification
- Senior Enlisted Professional Military Education, United States Air Force - September 2019
- Junior Enlisted Professional Military Education, United States Air Force - May 2012
- Community College of The Air Force Associates in Meteorology - April 2010
- Maintained Top Secret Clearance - October 2007
- Certified Air Force Weather Forecaster - October 2002
Timeline
Installation Weather Department Manager
United States Air Force
11.2017 - Current
Senior Weather Analyst
United States Air Force
08.2013 - 11.2017
Special Operations Group Meteorologist & Team Lead
United States Air Force
12.2007 - 08.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Emergency Management
American Military University
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