graduated from Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina with a degree in biology. He was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Class program in 1978. Following The Basic School, Second Lieutenant Hardy was assigned to the Amphibious Warfare Presentation Team in Quantico, Virginia as the Assistant Operations Officer. He reported for flight training at NAS Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1980.
After initial training in the CH-46 at HMT-301, MCAS Tustin, California, First Lieutenant Hardy was assigned to HMM-268, 3d MAW, where he served as the Intelligence Officer, Airfreames Officer, and Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer. During this tour he attended the Amphibious Intelligence Officer's Course, Aircraft Maintenance Officer's School, Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course, and made two deployments to the Western Pacific.
In 1984, Capt. Hardy was transferred to MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii for the reactiviation of HMM-364 and held billets as the Operations Officer and Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer. He was then assigned to 3d Battalion, 3d Marines in Kaneohe Bay serving as the Battalion Air Officer. While in Hawaii, Captain Hardy made three deployments to the Western Pacific.
Capt. Hardy left the Fleet Marine Force in 1988 and reported to MAWTS-1 in Yuma, Arizona. There he served as a CH-46 instructor and the Ch-46 Division Head. While in Yma he was temporarily assigned to HMM-265 and deployed to Desert Shield with 3d MAW. He also received a Master of Arts in Business, Management from Webster University.
Major Hardy attended the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama during the 1991/1992 academic year. From there he was transferred to HQMC and served as the Rotary Wing Monitor in the Aviation Officer Assignment Branch.
Following CH-46 refresher training at HMT-204, MCAS New River, North Carolina, Majore Hardy reported MAG-36, 1st MAW, Okinawa, Japan. He held positions in Operations and as the commanding officer of Personnel Support Detachment 36 before assuming the duties as Executive Officer at HMM-262 in February 1996.
He was promoted to his current rank on 1 January 1996. Lieutenant Colonel Hardy's person decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal.
He is married to the former Natsu Toya of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
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