Edward L. Hubbard
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Edward Lee Hubbard, USAF
, (born May 18, 1938) is a retired American Air Force officer, author, artist, and internationally known motivational speaker
.
in 1938 to Mr. and Mrs. Jess E. Hubbard, and he remained in the area for the first 24 years of his life. He graduated from Shawnee Mission High School
in May 1957. From December 1957 to August 1961, he worked in the mens garment industry.
in 1955, at age seventeen. While there, he flew as a flight engineer
in a C-119. In August 1961, he went on active duty
and entered the aviation cadet program at James Connally Air Force Base
in Texas
for Basic Navigation Training. On July 6, 1962, he was commissioned and received his wings
.
On July 20, 1966, while flying his 26th mission over North Vietnam
, Hubbard and five others were shot down by two surface-to-air missiles. Hubbard was a First Lieutenant at the time. After running through the jungle for a number of hours, he was captured by the Viet Cong and put in a POW camp. There, he stayed in a six-by-six foot cell and lived on less than 300 calories per day. After 2,420 days of being imprisoned, he was finally released on March 4, 1973 along with many others from his camp. This experience changed Hubbard's outlook on life.
After returning, Hubbard started using his new, positive way of thinking, and after only eight days of implementation - increased the productivity of a $350 million resource by 50%. He later inherited an organization designated "...the worst managed..." among 58 units by an Air Force audit
. Within four months, Ed Hubbard turned the unit around and demonstrated statistically significant improvement in 96% of the audited areas.
During ten years as head of the largest safety organization in the Air Force, they shattered all records. They achieved 30% to 70% improvements in all categories, where a 3% improvement had long been the norm. Ed Hubbard's organization was recognized as "Best in the Air Force" for ten consecutive years, and a previously accepted, multi-million-dollar loss rate per year was reduced to less than fifty thousand dollars per year.
Hubbard retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 1990.
as part of the United States Air Force Art Collection
.
In recognition of his contributions to the Air Force, Hubbard was inducted as an honorary Chief Master Sergeant
in
September 1988.
, Florida
with his wife, Jennifer.
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Edward Lee Hubbard, USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, (born May 18, 1938) is a retired American Air Force officer, author, artist, and internationally known motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
.
Early Life and Education
Hubbard was born in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1938 to Mr. and Mrs. Jess E. Hubbard, and he remained in the area for the first 24 years of his life. He graduated from Shawnee Mission High School
Shawnee Mission North High School
Shawnee Mission North High School is a public secondary school in Overland Park, Kansas, USA for grades 9–12. It is one of five schools operated by Unified School District 512.The school colors are Red, Black and White and the school mascot is the Indian...
in May 1957. From December 1957 to August 1961, he worked in the mens garment industry.
Military Service
Hubbard joined the United States Air Force Reserve at Richards-Gebaur Air Force BaseRichards-Gebaur Air Force Base
Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located south of Kansas City, Missouri. It was closed in 1994....
in 1955, at age seventeen. While there, he flew as a flight engineer
Flight engineer
Flight engineers work in three types of aircraft: fixed-wing , rotary wing , and space flight .As airplanes became even larger requiring more engines and complex systems to operate, the workload on the two pilots became excessive during certain critical parts of the flight regime, notably takeoffs...
in a C-119. In August 1961, he went on active duty
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
and entered the aviation cadet program at James Connally Air Force Base
James Connally Air Force Base
James Connally Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located north of Waco, Texas. After its closure in 1968, the airport reopened as TSTC Waco Airport.-History:...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for Basic Navigation Training. On July 6, 1962, he was commissioned and received his wings
Aircrew Badge
The Aircrew Badge, commonly known as Wings, is a qualification badge of the United States military that is awarded by all five branches of armed services to personnel who serve as crew members on board military aircraft. The badge is intended to recognize the training and qualifications required...
.
On July 20, 1966, while flying his 26th mission over North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
, Hubbard and five others were shot down by two surface-to-air missiles. Hubbard was a First Lieutenant at the time. After running through the jungle for a number of hours, he was captured by the Viet Cong and put in a POW camp. There, he stayed in a six-by-six foot cell and lived on less than 300 calories per day. After 2,420 days of being imprisoned, he was finally released on March 4, 1973 along with many others from his camp. This experience changed Hubbard's outlook on life.
After returning, Hubbard started using his new, positive way of thinking, and after only eight days of implementation - increased the productivity of a $350 million resource by 50%. He later inherited an organization designated "...the worst managed..." among 58 units by an Air Force audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
. Within four months, Ed Hubbard turned the unit around and demonstrated statistically significant improvement in 96% of the audited areas.
During ten years as head of the largest safety organization in the Air Force, they shattered all records. They achieved 30% to 70% improvements in all categories, where a 3% improvement had long been the norm. Ed Hubbard's organization was recognized as "Best in the Air Force" for ten consecutive years, and a previously accepted, multi-million-dollar loss rate per year was reduced to less than fifty thousand dollars per year.
Hubbard retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 1990.
Honors and Awards
As of March 22, 1983, a life-sized oil painting of Hubbard by artist, John Witt, hangs inside the PentagonThe Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
as part of the United States Air Force Art Collection
United States Air Force Art Program
The USAF Art Program of the United States Air Force was begun in 1950, with the transfer of ~800 works of art from the United States Army.- History :...
.
In recognition of his contributions to the Air Force, Hubbard was inducted as an honorary Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant
CMSgt ChevronChief Master Sergeant is the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Master Sergeant, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The official term of address is "Chief Master Sergeant" or "Chief".Attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant is the...
in
September 1988.
Public Speaking Career and Later Life
When talking about being incarcerated, Hubbard said that nothing he learned in the Air Force prepared him for such an experience, but every day he spent in a cell taught him that survival is possible, even in the most dire situations. In 1985, he became involved in public speaking so that others could benefit from the lessons he learned in captivity. After retiring, he founded Positive Vectors, Inc., a firm dedicated to helping others overcome any obstacle, survive any ordeal, and reach any goal by developing the right state of mind. Since then, Hubbard has traveled all over the country and spoken to thousands of members of corporate America, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. His book, Escape from the Box: The Wonder of Human Potential, was published in January 1994. Hubbard currently lives in Fort Walton BeachFort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
with his wife, Jennifer.
External links
- Positive Vectors Website
- Edward L. Hubbard on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...