Lieutenant Colonel Carl J. Heim is a native of Warren Township, NJ. He attended Officer Candidate Course (OCC) in May 2004 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts in Science and Environmental Journalism. He then completed The Basic School and Initial Flight Screening at Quantico, VA. LtCol Heim then completed Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at NAS Pensacola, Primary Flight Training at NAS Corpus Christi with the VT-27 “Boomers”, and Advanced Helicopter Training at NAS Whiting Field with the HT-18 “Vigilant Eagles”. He earned designation as a Naval Aviator in October 2007 and subsequently completed training in the AH-1W SuperCobra at HMLAT-303 aboard MCB Camp Pendleton, CA.
LtCol Heim then received orders to HMLA-167 aboard MCAS New River, NC. There he served as the S-4A, and then as S-1A before receiving orders to VMM-263(REIN). From May-December 2009 LtCol Heim deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and VMM-263(REIN) aboard the USS Bataan to the EUCOM, AFRICOM, and CENTCOM areas. During this deployment he served as Armory OIC, Fuels OIC, and S-4A. In January of 2010 LtCol Heim returned to HMLA-167, serving as S-1A and Flightline OIC before again receiving orders to VMM-263(REIN). On this second tour with VMM-263(REIN) he served as Pilot Training Officer. In March of 2011, VMM-263(REIN) was rapidly deployed with the 22nd MEU aboard the USS Bataan and USS Mesa Verde in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya, and its follow-on, Operation Unified Protector. In January 2012 he returned from deployment and reported back to HMLA-167. LtCol Heim then completed the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course at MAWTS-1 aboard MCAS Yuma, AZ. As a member of HMLA-167, he then deployed to Camp Bastion in Helmand, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom April through October 2013, serving as Assistant Operations Officer.
From August 2014 through May 2015 LtCol Heim attended Expeditionary Warfare school at MCB Quantico, VA and served as Conference Group Leader. He then received orders to Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) from May 2015 through September 2019. At HMX-1 LtCol Heim served as Security Platoon Commander, Schedule Writer, Flightline OIC, and In-Service Programs Officer, culminating in his selection as a Marine One Pilot.
In September of 2019 LtCol Heim ended his Active Duty service and direct-affiliated to the HMLA-773 “Red Dogs”. During his tour with the Red Dogs he completed AH-1W refresher training, AH-1Z conversion training, and served in both the operations and maintenance departments.
LtCol Heim is a graduate of resident Expeditionary Warfare School, and a Distinguished Graduate of US Marine Corps Command and Staff College. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with Gold Numeral 1 and Bronze Numeral 7, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Presidential Service Badge. In 2018 he graduated from New England College with a Masters of Business Administration in Strategic Leadership. In his civilian capacity, LtCol Heim is a pilot on the Airbus A319/320/321NEO at United Airlines.