Hunt retires after 34 years of dedicated service

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht
  • Joint Forces Kentucky Headquarters
The men and women of the Kentucky National Guard gathered in the Base Annex Oct. 4 to pay tribute to Brig. Gen. Howard P. Hunt III on the occasion of his retirement from more than three decades of faithful military service.

General Hunt officially stepped down as the assistant adjutant general for Air and the commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard on Sept. 30.

"General Hunt is closing out a military career of over 34 years of dedicated service to the Kentucky Air National Guard, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States of America," said Brig. Gen. Michael Dornbush, director of joint staff for the Kentucky National Guard.

"General Hunt has distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in a performance of outstanding service to the Kentucky National Guard for his entire career."

General Hunt graduated from Texas Christian University's Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1974. He joined the Kentucky Air National Guard in 1975 and has held a variety of positions here through the years, including wing executive officer, maintenance group commander and executive staff support officer.

During his KyANG career, General Hunt has been responsible for the Air National Guard's participation in numerous operations involving military support to civilian authorities. These include multiple subject-matter-expert exchanges with Ecuador through the State Partnership Program. He was also instrumental in the early development of statewide Homeland Security processes and the creation of the Kentucky Guard's Weapons of Mass Destruction team.

In March of 2003, General Hunt was selected to command the 485th Expeditionary Maintenance Group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and two months later he was named commander of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group in Al Udeid, Qatar.

Both posts supported Operation Iraqi Freedom.

General Hunt's decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.

"His dynamic leadership forged the way for Kentucky and the National Guard to evolve into one of the few truly joint forces of the Army and Air National Guard in the nation," General Dornbush said.

"General Hunt is a leader in the Kentucky National Guard, and we are proud to have had him serve in the commonwealth."