Hire instructed student naval flight officers in the classroom, simulator, and on board the T-43 aircraft at the Naval Air Training Unit on Mather Air Force Base, California. She progressed from Navigation Instructor through Course Manager to Curriculum Manager and was awarded the Air Force Master of Flying Instruction.

In January 1989, Hire joined the Naval Air Reserve at NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Her tours of duty included Squadron Augment Unit VP-0545 and Anti-submarine Warfare Operations Center 0574 and 0374.

Hire became the first female in the United States assigned to a combat aircrew when she reported to Patrol Squadron Sixty-Two (VP-62) on May 13, 1993. As a Patrol Plane Navigator/Communicator she deployed to Iceland, Puerto Rico and Panama. Hire later served at NAS Joint Reserve Base New Orleans with CV-63 USS Kittyhawk 0482 and Tactical Support Center 0682. Presently she is a member of the Naval Reserve, Commander Seventh Fleet Detachment 111 at Naval Air Station Dallas, Texas.

Hire began work at the Kennedy Space Center in May 1989, first as an Orbiter Processing Facility 3 Activation Engineer with EG&G and later as a Space Shuttle Orbiter Mechanical Systems Engineer for Lockheed Space Operations Company. In 1991 she certified as a Space Shuttle Test Project Engineer (TPE). From the TPE computer console position in the Launch Control Center, she integrated all technical aspects of Space Shuttle turnaround maintenance from landing through next launch. Additionally, she headed the checkout of the Extravehicular Mobility Units (spacesuits) and Russian Orbiter Docking System. Hire was assigned Supervisor of Space Shuttle Orbiter Mechanisms and Launch Pad Swing Arms in 1994.