Major General (ret.) William B. Lynch, J.D.,
Senior Associate
Major General Bill Lynch culminated a nearly 40 year career of distinguished service to the nation in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard with follow-on service July 2006 through July 2007 for .the US Department of State at Embassy Baghdad in the Green Zone as Chief of Staff in the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO), later named the Iraq Transition Assistance Office (ITAO). His distinguished military career included service as a cabinet officer appointed by three Governors and administrations of both parties, as the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and the Secretary of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. His responsibilities included command of the 20,000 strong Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard as well as oversight of six State owned veterans homes and the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children. This very large and very complex organization is one of the largest “businesses” in Pennsylvania. With a combined state and federal budget in excess of 550 million dollars, it demanded keen insight into state and federal political and budget processes.
General Lynch served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council and understands the necessity of close cooperation and effective communication between and among state, federal and local authorities in a disaster or homeland security context. He stood with then Governor Ridge on September 11, 2001, at the Flight 93 crash site and appreciates the consequences of a lack of preparedness.
General Lynch enlisted in the Air Force in 1964 and was commissioned in 1965. A Command Pilot with over 5,000 hours in various aircraft and a military parachutist, he held positions of responsibility at every level of command. He is a combat tested leader with 100 missions over North Viet Nam as an RF4C Aircraft Commander in 1968.
As chief of the operations division at the National Guard Bureau, he was responsible for the operational tasking of 91 flying and 244 support units of the Air National Guard in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He served as Commander of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and Deputy Adjutant General prior to his nomination as Adjutant General by Governor Tom Ridge.
General Lynch received a Bachelor of Arts in American Literature from Brown University, and a Juris Doctorate, with High Distinction, from the Ohio Northern University School of Law, where he was elected to the Law Review. And he is a graduate of the National War College, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
The General has received numerous military awards including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal with nine devices and the Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross.
His civilian experience includes positions with Corning Glass Works, the Dayton Ohio law firm of Pickrel, Schaffer and Ebeling, and various Board and Trust memberships, including the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He is the recipient of numerous awards from civic organizations including, the Catholic War Veterans, the Marine Corps League, the Viet Nam Veterans Leadership Program, the Government of Lithuania, and others.
He served as a member and Chairman of the Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee and Vice President-Air of the National Guard Association of the United States.