Meet our Board of Advisors

Admiral Jerry Johnson, USN (Ret.)
Admiral "Jerry" Johnson is the President/CEO of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS), a non-profit charitable organization whose purpose is to provide financial assistance to Navy and Marine Corp personnel and their families in time of need.

Admiral Johnson's final assignment before leaving active duty on 1 July 1992, after almost 38 years of naval service, was serving as the Vice Chief of Naval Operation---the Number Two man in the Navy---and the "Gray Eagle", or the longest serving active duty naval aviator. His duties involved daily interaction and coordination with the Joint Staff and various governmental agencies in his responsibilities for the operations and administration of the Navy. He was the principal Navy representative for Defense program assessment and Joint Requirements Oversight Committee (JROC). He directed Navy-wide fiscal and overhead reduction decisions to meet long-range strategic goals. Before serving as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Johnson filled flag positions as Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy, and of General Planning and Programming; Director of Program Appraisal and for the Secretary of Navy. Admiral Johnson's at sea assignments included Command of the Second Fleet, responsible for training and readiness of ships and aircraft in the Atlantic Fleet, and Command of NATO's Striking Fleet Atlantic; Commander of Carrier Groups FOUR and Carrier Group THREE. Admiral Johnson also served as Commanding Officer of the combat stores ship USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7) and he served as the 32nd Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS CORAL SEA (CV-43).

A native of Texas, Admiral Johnson attended Texas A&M University prior to entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1955. In 1956 he was commissioned an Ensign and designated a naval aviator. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and is a graduate of the Defense Intelligence College. In 1987 Admiral Johnson was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris causa) in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College in Washington, D.C.

General Richard D. Hearney, USMC (Ret.)
In January 2000, General Richard D. Hearney, USMC (Ret.) became president and chief executive officer of Business Executives for National Security. BENS is a national, nonpartisan organization of business leaders who apply the lessons of their successful businesses to making our country safer and more secure.

Prior to joining BENS, General Hearney was vice president of Military Aircraft and Missile Systems Group for the Boeing Company. General Hearney retired from military service in 1996 as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and joined McDonnell Douglas as regional vice president of Business Development - Western Europe. While in London, he served as the company's senior representative in Europe.

During his military career, General Hearney has held command positions at the squadron, air group and air wing level. During Desert Shield and Desert Storm he served as Deputy Commander, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. He has also held numerous senior staff assignments, including Deputy Director for Operations, U.S. European Command and Deputy Chief of Staff for Requirements, Programs and Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps.

General Hearney is a native of Petaluma, California. He was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the Marine Corps in 1962. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and a Master of Arts degree from Pepperdine University. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

General Richard E. Hawley, USAF, (Ret.)
General Hawley is an independent consultant providing advisory services to several major aerospace companies. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Astronautics Corporation of America and the advisory committee of DFI International, is a national director of the Air Force Association, and is a founding member of the GiveSmart Foundation of United Way of the Virginia Peninsula.

During his military career, General Hawley served in a variety of command and staff positions in the United States and overseas. He commanded a Group, Wing, Numbered Air Force and two Major Commands. His assignments as a flag officer included duty as the Air Force's Director of Operations during the Gulf War, Commander U.S. Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, and Commander United States Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Central Europe. General Hawley retired in June, 1999 as the Air Force Component Commander to Atlantic Command (now Joint Forces Command) and Commander of Air Combat Command, the Air Forces largest command responsible for organizing, training and equipping all CONUS based Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance forces as well as all fighter, bomber and combat rescue aircraft.