TAC “featured member” interview questions –
CPT David Hilling
(1) Please tell us a little about yourself: I graduated from the United States Military Academy
(USMA) with a major in Systems Engineering and earned my commission as a Second Lieutenant
in the Infantry. Following graduation, I served as a platoon leader and executive officer in 2nd
Brigade, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division at Fort Campbell, KY. Next, I served as a Ranger
Instructor in 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning, GA. I then commanded a Stryker
Troop in 3d Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, TX. Recently, I earned my graduate degree from
Columbia University in Organizational Psychology. I am married and have three amazing
children.
(2) Can you please describe your duties as a Tactical Officer (TAC) at the US Military Academy
Preparatory School? As a TAC at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School
(USMAPS), my main focus is on preparing Cadet Candidates (CCs) to become USMA Cadets and
leaders of character. The CCs are the vanguard for the next USMA class; generally 90% of the
CCs go onto USMA to make up approximately 20% of any USMA class. USMAPS consists of CCs
that applied to USMA, but the Admissions Committee determined they needed an additional
year of development before attending USMA. Some of the CCs are prior service active duty
Soldiers who have combat experiences and some are even NCOs. Other CCs have a great deal of
athletic ability. As a TAC Officer, I am the legal company commander. In conjunction with my
TAC NCO, a Sergeant First Class, I also serve as a teacher, mentor, and coach for the CCs and
oversee the integration of their entire USMAPS experience as they develop from
civilians/Soldiers to USMA Cadets. I also have the ability to shape the CC’s initial perspective of
USMA and the Army.
(3) What made you decide to serve as a TAC at the Preparatory School? The foundation of my
values as a military professional began when I was a Cadet Candidate at USMAPS. The positive
impact of my USMAPS TAC NCO and TAC Officer still resonates with me today. I desire to make
the same impact on CCs, and look forward to watching them achieve excellence. Moreover,
since USMAPS is a smaller organization, I have more autonomy in how I lead my company and
the ability to generate positive change for all of USMAPS.
(4) What has been the most rewarding part of serving as a TAC at USMAPS? The Cadet Candidates
that the USMA Admissions Committee selects to attend USMAPS have a great deal of potential.
I have sincerely enjoyed helping CCs discover their potential and then watching them excel. I
also value the opportunity I have had to establish a new organization. Every year there is a new
class of CCs and the only legacy is the TAC Officer or TAC NCO. It has been a unique and
rewarding experience to create a new organization and culture from a diverse group of
individuals and practice the knowledge I learned from Columbia University.
(5) How has serving as a TAC prepared you for future assignments back in the operational Army?
Since becoming a TAC, I have practiced and assessed the effectiveness of the knowledge of
organizational leadership I learned at Columbia University. This assessment has broadened my
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intellectual and leadership abilities. Additionally, the USMA Staff and Faculty consist of some of
the Army’s greatest thinkers and leaders. I have been intentional in seeking their wisdom on
how to be a successful field grade officer.
What was your graduate school experience like at Teachers College – Columbia University?
Due to my military career, I have generally surrounded myself with people who think like me
and have a similar worldview to me. However, my experiences at Columbia University exposed
me to very diverse people, and I learned to appreciate different worldviews. Columbia also
provided me the opportunity to spend a year reflecting on the challenges and decisions I faced
as a company grade officer. I was then able to apply these reflections to organizational and
leader development models and theories and challenge myself to think unconventionally.
How has this assignment been in terms of family time and work-life balance? During graduate
school and as a TAC, I have had the best balance of family time and work-life balance in my army
career. My family has enjoyed cheering on the Army Team at various Division 1 Athletics and
visiting all the sites of the Hudson Valley and NYC.
What advice would you give to officers who are considering applying to become a TAC at the
Preparatory School? Being a USMAPS TAC is an ideal opportunity if you value developing a
group of highly motivated individuals. To ensure you are the best leader developer for the
Cadet Candidates, you will have the opportunity to earn a phenomenal graduate degree. Yet, a
key component to be accepted is quantifiable scores. You cannot change you undergraduate
transcripts; but you can achieve an excellent GRE score. I would recommend studying hard for
the GRE.
Anything else you’d like to share? As a TAC at USMAPS, I am also connected to USMA and
invest in cadets. I serve as an OIC for the West Point Parachute Team and mentor cadets
through Officer Christian Fellowship. I also teach the 1st Class Cadets their capstone military
science class, MX400. Both USMA and USMAPS provide me complementing developmental
opportunities for the Army’s next generation of leaders.