PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Michael D. Hardee was promoted to Rear Admiral (lower half) in a ceremony held May 1, 2006 on Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md.

Hardee is presently serving as the Commander for Naval Aviation Depots, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and has been assigned as chief architect of Fleet Readiness Centers.

“We have waited for this day for a long time,” said Vice Adm. Wally B. Massenburg, NAVAIR commander, during remarks made in the Rear Admiral William A. Moffett Building. “When Mike Hardee was selected for Flag officer, it was a conscious decision of the Naval Aviation Enterprise to be able to use Mike Hardee’s skill set to change our game.”

In closing, Massenburg remarked, “You were selected for your past skill set but you were truly selected for the potential you will bring to the Naval Aviation Enterprise.”

Hardee’s previous shoulder boards were removed by his daughter Sarah and wife Marianne. His one-star shoulder boards were pinned by Massenburg and Hardee’s father, Roland.

“I am a product of a lot of mentorship,” said Hardee, after he thanked many individuals, including his family, who have played influential roles in his personal and professional life. “I feel humbled and awed by the amount of talent I have supporting me.”

Hardee graduated from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1977. After attending flight training, he was designated a Naval Flight Officer and received his wings in 1978.

Hardee acquired extensive operational and acquisition experience through a wide variety of afloat and shore-based assignments. He completed ship’s company sea duty assignments onboard USS Shreveport, (LPD-12) earning his Surface Warfare Designation in 1982, USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and fleet assignments at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Air Station Miramar and Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific Staff.

Following graduation with a Masters Degree in the Material Logistics curriculum from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1988, he was assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two, where he served as Air Wing Aircraft Maintenance Officer, completing two Western Pacific deployments aboard USS Ranger, including a combat cruise during Operation Desert Storm.

Upon completion of the Program Management Course at Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Rear Admiral Hardee was assigned to Naval Air Systems Command. He assumed his duties in Aviation Support Equipment, PMA-260 in 1992, where he served as the Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineering for Consolidated Automated Support Systems Automated Test Equipment (USM-636 CASS). During this tour, he successfully completed PMA-260’s (Aviation Support Equipment) Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) in preparation for initial production of CASS.

In 1995, he was assigned to Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet staff as the Aircraft Maintenance Plans and Policy Officer, implementing over 100 changes to the OPNAVINST. 4790, the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program and continued research in Human Factors in aircraft maintenance with the Naval Postgraduate School.

Assigned again to PMA 260 in 1999 as principal deputy program manager for Aviation Support Equipment program office, he became a certified Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM II) practitioner, responsible for the physical asset management of the Navy’s common use Aviation Support Equipment. Rear Admiral Hardee and his RCM team won the Department of Defense Value Engineering Award in 2001 for their accomplishments in RCM.

Assuming command of DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft in November 2001, he was responsible for the contract management of and delivering rotorcraft and rotorcraft products from five major programs to U.S. military departments and allied nations. During his tenure, DCMA’s flight activity won the agency’s Major Flight Operations Safety Award for 2002.

Assigned duties as the NAVAIR’s Enterprise AIRSpeed Project Officer and Chief of NAVRIIP Staff in 2003, he was responsible for the planning, introduction and implementation of Lean, Six Sigma and Theory of Constraints in fleet aviation intermediate maintenance activities.

Rear Admiral Hardee’s personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals and an Army Commendation Medal.

Photo 1: Rear Admiral Michael D. Hardee is pinned by his father, Roland and Vice Adm. Wally B. Massenburg, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), at his promotion ceremony on May 1, 2006, at NAVAIR Headquarters in Patuxent River, Md.

Photo 2: Rear Admiral Michael D. Hardee receives his flag from Vice Adm. Wally B. Massenburg, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), at his promotion ceremony on May 1, 2006, at NAVAIR Headquarters in Patuxent River, Md.