Gene McVay
Encyclopedia
Gene McVay is a fifth generation resident of Arkansas, who had an extensive career in the Air Force and lost to Mike Huckabee in a bid to become governor of Arkansas in 1998.
Colonel McVay is a National Officer of The American Legion serving on the National Executive Committee. As 2009-2010 Commander of The American Legion Department of Arkansas
, the largest Veterans' Organization in the state, he led the department to an advance in membership percentage from 47th to 17th nationally. He is a member of several Veterans' Organizations including life member of the Military Order of the World Wars, Air War College
Alumni Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
, the National Guard Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America
and The American Legion. He is also a member of the Military Officers Association of America
. On the National Level he is a member of The American Legion Foreign Relations Commission and previously served as Vice Chairman of the Distinguished Guests Committee and a member of the Convention Finance Committee. He is a past chapter president of the Air Force Association
. Previously he served as President of the National Guard Association of Arkansas.
He is the Past President of the oldest Civic club in Arkansas, the Fort Smith Noon Civics Club, established in 1911. In 1996, Gene McVay founded the "Principal for a Day" Program in Fort Smith as a part of Partners in Education and taught classes as part of "Leadership Fort Smith."
existed and before Baxter County existed. Gene's great-grandfather, grandfather and father all lived and died within 15 miles of Mountain Home. Gene McVay was born on March 15, 1942, in a log house alongside what is now U.S. Highway 62 East.
who had been elevated from Lieutenant Governor upon the resignation of Jim Guy Tucker
, and who went on to win the general election. In the 1972 Arkansas General Election, he lost a race for the State Senate to Doctor J. Lex Moore of Harrison. In 1973 He became Chairman of the Baxter County Republican Party and member of the Election Commission. He served as Chairman of the Sebastian County Parks Board and Tax Equalization Board.
where he rose through the ranks as an Intelligence Analyst on the Northern tip of Japan and the National Security Agency to become a command pilot and commander of a Multinational Joint Provisional Wing. He was the first Air National Guard Colonel selected to command Cope Thunder, now Red Flag – Alaska. He was both a global-qualified aircraft commander on the C-141 Starlifter
, and instructor pilot on the F-101 VooDoo
as a First Lieutenant. McVay was subiquently an instructor pilot and flight examiner on the F-100 Super Sabre
, F-4 Phantom II
, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon
. He flew 50 combat missions in Vietnam.
Gene McVay is also the author of the leadership and management book, Top Gun Management, 2007, Lulu.com
.
Colonel McVay is a National Officer of The American Legion serving on the National Executive Committee. As 2009-2010 Commander of The American Legion Department of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, the largest Veterans' Organization in the state, he led the department to an advance in membership percentage from 47th to 17th nationally. He is a member of several Veterans' Organizations including life member of the Military Order of the World Wars, Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
Alumni Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
, the National Guard Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America
Vietnam Veterans of America
Vietnam Veterans of America Inc. is a national non-profit corporation founded in 1978 in the United States that promotes the interests of United States military veterans of the Vietnam War era. It is funded without any contribution from any branch of government...
and The American Legion. He is also a member of the Military Officers Association of America
Military Officers Association of America
The Military Officers Association of America, or MOAA, is an association of 370,000 military officers, including active duty, retired, National Guard, Reserve, and former officers and their families. It is an independent, nonprofit, and politically nonpartisan organization...
. On the National Level he is a member of The American Legion Foreign Relations Commission and previously served as Vice Chairman of the Distinguished Guests Committee and a member of the Convention Finance Committee. He is a past chapter president of the Air Force Association
Air Force Association
The Air Force Association is an independent, 501 non-profit, civilian education organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia...
. Previously he served as President of the National Guard Association of Arkansas.
He is the Past President of the oldest Civic club in Arkansas, the Fort Smith Noon Civics Club, established in 1911. In 1996, Gene McVay founded the "Principal for a Day" Program in Fort Smith as a part of Partners in Education and taught classes as part of "Leadership Fort Smith."
Early life
His great-great-grandfather Joseph P. McVey was a resident of north Arkansas many years before Mountain Home, ArkansasMountain Home, Arkansas
Mountain Home is a city in and the county seat of Baxter County, Arkansas, United States, in the southern Ozark Mountains.It was recently listed in the top 20 cities in the U.S. for sportsmen in the current edition of Outdoor Life magazine, was recently ranked #2 for Field and Stream's Best Fishing...
existed and before Baxter County existed. Gene's great-grandfather, grandfather and father all lived and died within 15 miles of Mountain Home. Gene McVay was born on March 15, 1942, in a log house alongside what is now U.S. Highway 62 East.
Political career
He was a candidate for Governor of Arkansas in 1998 as a challenger in the Arkansas Republican primary to Mike HuckabeeMike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
who had been elevated from Lieutenant Governor upon the resignation of Jim Guy Tucker
Jim Guy Tucker
James "Jim" Guy Tucker, Jr. is an Arkansas political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, Arkansas Attorney General, and U.S. Representative...
, and who went on to win the general election. In the 1972 Arkansas General Election, he lost a race for the State Senate to Doctor J. Lex Moore of Harrison. In 1973 He became Chairman of the Baxter County Republican Party and member of the Election Commission. He served as Chairman of the Sebastian County Parks Board and Tax Equalization Board.
Military career
He had a 35 year military career in the U.S. Air Force and Air National GuardAir National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
where he rose through the ranks as an Intelligence Analyst on the Northern tip of Japan and the National Security Agency to become a command pilot and commander of a Multinational Joint Provisional Wing. He was the first Air National Guard Colonel selected to command Cope Thunder, now Red Flag – Alaska. He was both a global-qualified aircraft commander on the C-141 Starlifter
C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
, and instructor pilot on the F-101 VooDoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
as a First Lieutenant. McVay was subiquently an instructor pilot and flight examiner on the F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
. He flew 50 combat missions in Vietnam.
Gene McVay is also the author of the leadership and management book, Top Gun Management, 2007, Lulu.com
Lulu.com
Lulu is a company offering publishing, printing, and distribution services with headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since their founding in 2002, Lulu has published over 1.1 million titles by creators in over 200 countries and territories and adds 20,000 new titles to their catalogue a month...
.
External links
- Air Force Association
- "Guard Colonel in the Lead", AIR FORCE Magazine October 1995]
- "Red Flag-Alaska Fact Sheet", http://www.eielson.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5545