Hawk Carlisle 'honored, humbled' to receive Arnold award

Hawk Carlisle

ARLINGTON, VA -- Hawk Carlisle, president and chief executive officer of the National Defense Industrial Association, is this year’s recipient the Henry “Hap” Arnold Award from the Air Force Association of Arlington, VA, the organization announced.

“I am truly honored and deeply humbled to receive this honor from AFA,” Carlisle said of the recognition. “It was my great privilege to serve with the outstanding service members of the Air Force.” The Arnold Award is given for the most significant contribution by a military member to national defense, according to AFA.

Carlisle, who joined NDIA in June 2017, is a retired four-star general who served 39 years with the Air Force. Before his retirement in March 2017, he led Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. As the ACC commander, “Carlisle was responsible for organizing, training, equipping and maintaining combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces were ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime defense,” AFA said in a statement about the award.

Carlisle’s illustrious career includes commander of Pacific Air Forces, the air component commander for U.S. Pacific Command, and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He served in various operational and staff assignments throughout the Air Force and commanded a fighter squadron, an operations group, two wings and a numbered air force. He also was a joint service officer and served as chief of air operations, U.S. Central Command Forward in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During that time, he participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. He also participated in Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey and Operation Noble Eagle, which continues.

Carlisle served as director of operational planning, policy and strategy; deputy chief of staff for air, space and information operations, plans and requirements; and twice in the plans and programs directorate. He also served as deputy director and later director of legislative liaison at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. He is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in the AT-38, YF-110, YF-113, T-38, F-15A/B/C/D, and C-17A.

Carlisle will be honored with other AFA award winners at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference Sept. 19, during the Air Force Birthday Dinner. For more information, visit www.afa.org