Mark R. Hasara is the Chief Operating Officer of MRH Solutions LLC with over 30 years comprehensive experience in joint military and international operations. He has over 3000 flying hours, primarily in KC-135, plus hours in KC-10, F-15C, E-3B/RAF E-3D AWACS, C-130H, EC-130E, S-3B Viking, C-2B, RAF VC-10, and MH-60 helicopter. Author of Amazon best-selling book Tanker Pilot: Lessons from the Cockpit, describing lessons learned throughout involvement in four air wars. Mark has led men and women in combat and instructed international and allied partners in the operational art of joint warfare at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. As Deputy Commander for the KC-135 Weapons School, he educated KC-135 aircrews in air refueling and air warfare on a global scale. Mark instructed international senior military leaders and heads of state from three continents on concepts of combined airpower operations. Designated a Joint Specialty Officer by the United States Government, he is an expert in planning and executing military efforts below the surface, on the surface, and above the surface of the earth. His Headquarters expertise was gained from deploying to Combined Air and Space Operations Centers in Europe and the Middle East four times. He later worked for Rockwell Collins as a Systems Engineering and Sales Manager, designing flight deck architectures for military aircraft. After leaving Rockwell, he became a published author, speaker, and consultant for Department of Defense agencies.

Air Refueling and International Instructor Experience

 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA as Curriculum Director, Joint Combined Warfighter School

Mark was selected as #1 of 76 joint military officers by US Army Commandant. He directed curriculum development and instructed the largest Operational Art and Design course block of 32 classes. Mark was the leader of 16 military officers educating, guiding and mentoring over 350 U.S. and international field grade officers annually. He led the first JCWS syllabus overhaul in a decade, educated officers in joint military activities, international political-military affairs, and planning and executing combined operations. He was the school’s joint airpower subject matter expert, one of ten US service officers chosen to teach visiting foreign military leaders and heads of state in joint operations. He educated US Interagency and Gov’t officials in joint warfare doctrine, designed Joint Air Operations, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance, and Joint Targeting courses of study rated: “The best classes we have seen in all the PME Schools!”

Combined Air Operations Center, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia as Chief, Air Refueling Control Team

Mark served as Executive Vice President for planning and executing all air refueling operations across the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. He led a 30 person team during Operation Iraqi Freedom, directed operations for 210 tankers and over 2000 personnel while transferring 417 million pounds of jet fuel in 29 days. Mark Orchestrated and collaborated all combat planning and operations with international senior military leaders and heads of state from the Middle East, European NATO, Africa, and Far East governments and command agencies. He authored the US State Dept. White Paper to Gulf Coast Country Interior Ministers opening access to their bases when increased air operations strained refueling assets that led to the air refueling control team overcoming crippling fuel, basing, airspace, defensive tactics, and logistics support issues that would have made the 2003 Iraqi Freedom air campaign plan unexecutable. His Commanding General remarked: “In my 27 years, without a doubt, the best tanker planner I’ve ever seen!”

KC-135 Weapons Instructor Course, Fairchild AFB, WA as Deputy Commander

Mark served as the Initial Cadre’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Air Force’s first ever graduate-level air refueling course. Responsibilities included strategic planning for the squadron, the effectiveness of all training items, standardization/evaluation of all students, unit safety, fiscal oversight for all operations, training, discipline, mentoring, evaluation and assignment of all personnel graduating from the school. Mark created a syllabus for over 480 academic hours, 18 five-hour flights, one 3-hour simulator, and a graduate-level paper on air refueling subjects. The Syllabus block he constructed educated tanker aircrews on refueling operations with US Navy Carrier Airwings created from the Naval Strike and Air Warfare manual. AMC Senior Leadership tasked him to edit Air Force Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures manual 3-1 Volume 22, the employment bible for KC-135s and KC-10s in post-9/11 mobility operations.

Air Mobility Command Headquarters, Belleville, IL as Pacific Regional Operations Director and Chief, AMC Tanker Combat Operations

Mark was rated “No.1 pick to get any job done,” He became the Pacific & Asian Expert for Operations ranging from humanitarian relief, joint exercises, and US diplomatic, economic, and military operations. Mark authored the $1.5M Weapons Instructor Course proposal for newest USAF Weapons School, crafting guidelines for curriculum, staffing, and budgeting to set the program in motion. He composed the air refueling support plan and command and control for Operation Desert Strike, providing precision engagement on illegal Iraqi WMD targets by US-based bombers.  

Education

Mark received a Masters Degree in Military Science (Air Warfare), American Military University, Bachelors Degree in Political Science (National Security), Brigham Young University, Joint Combined Warfighter School, Norfolk, VA; Joint Operations and Planning Expert KC-135 Weapons Instructor Course, and Air Refueling & Aerospace Operations Center Expert.

Significant Awards

Air Mobility Command Tanker Tactician of the Year 2002

Fifth Air Force and Pacific Air Forces Intelligence Contributor of the Year

Fifth Air Force and Pacific Air Forces Tactical Deception Officer of the Year

https://www.c-span.org/video/?441145-2/tanker-pilot

Visit www.markhasara.com for articles on current affairs.