Don't Drink the Kool-Aid

My name is Dick Hawley and I was born and raised in upstate New York. I attended public school through the 10th grade, then spent two years at a military prep school before attending the Air Force Academy. I graduated in 1964 followed by a year at Georgetown University where I earned a masters degree in economics. I retired from the Air Force in 1999 and began a second career as an independent consultant. I continue in that role today, albeit at a fairly modest pace.

While on active duty I served as a forward air controller with the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam flying the O-2A. I flew the F-4D/E in Europe and in the U.S.; the F-15A/C in the U.S. and in Japan; and the A-10 in Korea. As a field grade officer I served on the staff of the Inspector General in Europe, planning and conducting Operational Readiness Inspections; and on the Air Staff in the Directorate of Plans and Policy and as Assistant Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff.

As a flag officer I served as Vice Commander of 7th Air Force in Korea, as Pacific Air Forces Director of Plans, as Director of Operations on the Air Staff and as Principal Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. I had the opportunity to command at the flight, group, wing, numbered air force, subunified command and major command level. As a four star general I commanded both U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Combat Command. I served five years in Germany, six in Japan, two in Hawaii and one each in Korea and Vietnam. My family accompanied me all the way except for the year in Vietnam.

I have served on several corporate boards of directors and consulted for Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin and a number of lower tier aerospace suppliers. I continue to serve on the board of Astronautics Corporation of America. I supported two Quadrennial Defense Reviews as a red team member, and a review of military acquisition called the Defense Acquisition Performance Assesment Project. I supported the former Joint Forces Command as a Senior Concept Developer and continue to support the Joint Forces Staff College as a Senior Fellow. Finally, I have served as a member and as chair of the Board of Advisers to the Luter School of Business at Christopher Newport University and the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula.

Life has been very good to me and I like to think I have learned a few useful lessons along the way. This blog is an attempt to share some of what I think I have learned. I do so with humility and a clear understanding that the lessons one draws from any one experience are shaped by those that went before, meaning that no two people are likely to draw quite the same lessons despite being exposed to a nearly identical experience.