Justin Connaher is the 2012, 2014, and 2015 U.S. Air Force Civilian Photographer of the Year, 2013 Pacific Air Forces Outstanding Communication Civilian of the Year; 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Pacific Air Forces Civilian Photographer of the Year. Connaher is assigned to 673d Air Base Wing/Public Affairs, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, as a public affairs photographer/photo studio manager/public affairs unit photography equipment maintainer supporting more than 60 installation tenant units. In 2022 Connaher completed the Visual Information Managers course at the Defense Information School (DINFOS)-Fort Meade, Maryland.  He creates highly specialized still photographic and video support of official military training, operations, alert functions, and ceremonial events in accordance with the Department of Defense Visual Information Documentation Program guidelines, command directives and visual communication needs.

Connaher grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and entered Department of Defense civil service in 2011. He graduated with a Communications Bachelor of Arts degree with emphasis in photojournalism and photography from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay after a three-year stint as an airborne infantryman with the U.S. Army. Upon graduation Connaher gained employment as a staff photographer at a Gannett daily newspaper earned 26 corporate, state and national awards and recognitions for photographic excellence, and was selected for high-profile assignments in Washington D.C. and Europe.

Connaher joined the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs staff as a photographer in 2011. Since that time his photographs have been featured on Air Force, Army and Department of Defense sites numerous times, as well as external publications ie. Military Times, and national and international media print, broadcast, and online editions.