Squadron Augment Unit | VT-31

Commanding Officer

Cmdr. Austin "Huff" Harvey is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2002. Harvey joined the Marine Corps in January of 2003. Following the completion of Officer Candidate School and The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, he began primary flight training with the "Doerbirds" of Training Squadron (VT) 2 in March of 2003. He earned his Wings of Gold with the "Wise Owls" of VT-31 in Corpus Christi, Texas, in April 2005.

Harvey began training in the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Training Squadron (VMGRT) 253 in Cherry Point, North Carolina, in the KC-130 Hercules. He then was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 in Okinawa, Japan, where he flew to all corners of the globe, including trans-oceanic flights crossing both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans as well as remote and unusual places including Kwajalein Atoll, Iwo Jima, Wake Island, and other locations all over the Pacific Theater.

In September 2009, Harvey reported to the "Boomers" of VT-27 for his shore tour as an instructor pilot in the T-34C. After more than three years of flying with the squadron, and desiring to stay with VT-27, Harvey conducted an inter-service transfer to the Navy Reserve in February of 2014. Immediately following his affiliation in the Navy Reserve, Harvey transitioned to the T-6B Texan II. He received standardization qualifications in contacts, instruments and formation and was designated an assistant Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization instructor. He has amassed over 2500 flight hours training the Navy and Marine Corps students at VT-27, flying both the T-6B and T-34C.

As a civilian, Harvey works as a CNATRA contract instructor and conducts T-6B training at Training Air Wing 4, supervising the instruction for all stages of primary training, in both simulators and in ground school.

In June of 2021, while Harvey was serving as the VT-27 Squadron Augment Unit (SAU) executive officer, he was selected to be the commanding Ooficer of VT-31 SAU, and currently instructs students in the T-44C.

Harvey's personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards), and various unit commendations and campaign awards. During his career in the Navy and Marine Corps, Harvey has amassed over 3,500 hours in four different aircraft.