A Lifetime of Leadership
Howard P. Hunt, III has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Kentucky State University, a B.A. degree in Government from Texas Christian University, and is a graduate of the Air War College.
In 2014 he retired from the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) as their Human Resources Director. Hunt has also worked in the Kentucky Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Department of Military Affairs, the Public Service Commission, the Legislative Research Commission, and the U.S. Senate.
The Boyle County Kentucky native is a retired Brigadier General who served 34 years in the Kentucky Air National Guard and US Air Force. Hunt’s career led him to become the highest ranking officer in the Kentucky Air National Guard and the second highest in the entire Kentucky National Guard where he had oversight responsibility for budgets over 50 million dollars.
During his career he traveled to 45 different nations carrying out US military operations which included humanitarian/disaster relief, diplomatic interest, and combat. In times of natural disasters, General Hunt participated in most of Kentucky’s state wide emergencies from 1990-2008 in some capacity, and was instrumental in initial development of the National Guard’s Seismic Plan and later the All-Hazards Response Plan.
He has studied Emergency Management at FEMA’s Emmitsburg, MD campus. Hunt has an extensive background in Military Support to Civilian Authorities, the Incident Command System, and studied consequences of terrorism at Mt. Weather, VA.
While serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom he commanded two different combat units. First he commanded the 485th Expeditionary Maintenance Group and led 900 airmen in supporting combat mission’s during the opening phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His efforts helped US Air Force F-15’s suppress Iraqi Air Force responses early in the war while simultaneously managing the war’s largest fleet of C-130 “Hercules” transports to move troops and equipment in the fight.
Later in his tour of duty he commanded the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group in Qatar and oversaw all aircraft maintenance activities of the US Air Forces largest air operations center in Southwest Asia. The 1,500 airmen he commanded produced an incredible 98% wartime air tasking order success rate for 72 different combat aircraft worth around five billion dollars.
Currently Hunt shares coordination of the Kentucky Prayer Coalition (KPC) with his wife Aprile. They team together to coordinate several state-wide intercessory prayer groups and networks who unify to bring about a prayer covering in Kentucky virtuous leadership in our homes, churches, cities, counties, state, and nation.
He lives on his Boyle County family farm with Aprile, his wife of 38 years. They have two adult children; Price Hunt (Chelsea) and Hanna Baker (Bryant), and six grandchildren. He is the 2014 recipient of the Heritage Hospice Mary Caldwell “Spirit of Hospice” award. Hunt is a Campbellsville University Board of Trustee member.
At his retirement General Hunt was one of the most decorated officers in the Kentucky National Guard, receiving the Legion of Merit, plus the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force and Army Commendation Medal, and 23 other awards and decorations. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Military Order of World Wars, and a Vietnam era veteran.
Major Awards and Decorations
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Air Force Commendation Medal
- Army Commendation Medal
- Air Force Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 'V' Device)
- Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars)
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
- Air and Space Campaign Medal
- Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon
- Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border)
- Air Force Longevity Ribbon (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Air Reserve Forces Medal (with Gold Hourglass and 'M' Device and Numeral 2)
- Air Force Small Arms Expert Ribbon (with Bronze Star)
- Air Force Training Ribbon
- Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal
- Tennessee Distinguished Service Medal
- Kentucky Merit Ribbon
- Kentucky Commendation Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Kentucky Service Ribbon (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Kentucky State Active Duty Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Kentucky Adjutant Generals Staff Badge
- United States Air Force Master Aircraft Maintenance Badge
- United States Air Force Master Manpower and Personnel Badge
Military Assignments
- January 1974 - September 1974, Chief Personnel Processing, 442nd Tactical Airlift Wing, Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri
- April 1975 - May 1981, Wing Executive Officer, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- June 1981 - August 1984, Base Training and Education Officer, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- September 1984 - April 1987, Chief Avionics Branch, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- May 1987 - October 1988, Chief of Maintenance Control, 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- November 1988 - September 1990, Management Analyst, Headquarters, Kentucky Air National Guard, Frankfort, Kentucky
- October 1990 - May 1992, Chief Maintenance Control, 123rd Airlift Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- June 1992 - July 1993, Employee Development Specialist, State Equal Employment Manager, Labor Relations Specialist, Human Resources Office, Frankfort, Kentucky
- August 1993 - August 1994, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
- September 1994 - September 1995, State Equal Employment Manager and Labor Relations Specialist, Kentucky National Guard Human Resources Office, Frankfort, Kentucky
- October 1995 - October 1999, Executive Support Staff Officer, Office of The Adjutant General, Frankfort, Kentucky
- October 1999 - February 2003, 123rd Maintenance Group Commander, 123rd Airlift Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- March 2003 - May 2003, 485th Expeditionary Maintenance Group Commander, 485th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- May 2003 - August 2003, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid, Qatar
- August 2003 - June 2006, 123rd Maintenance Group Commander, 123rd Airlift Wing, Louisville, Kentucky
- July 2006 - November 2006, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Kentucky Air National Guard, Frankfort, Kentucky
- December 2006 - September 2008, Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Joint Forces Headquarters-Kentucky, Frankfort, Kentucky
Memberships
- Army Aviation Association of America
- Bluegrass Chapter Military Order of World Wars - Life Member
- Frankfort, Kentucky Chapter Commander National Guard Association of Kentucky - Life Member
- National Guard Association of the United States - Life Member
- Veterans of Foreign Wars - Life Member
Career
- Second Lieutenant 18 May 1974
- First Lieutenant 6 June 1977
- Captain 1 March 1980
- Major 16 Sep 1987
- Lieutenant Colonel 18 May 1995
- Colonel 30 July 1999
- Brigadier General 28 August 2006

