USAFA Class Heritage Class of 1963

Born on the 4th of July, 1941 in Manson, Iowa, to Kenneth and Bernice Harbaugh, he was raised in the heartland, the son of educators, where his passion for service and adventure steered him to a 30-year U.S. Air Force career flying fast reconnaissance jets and leading America’s Airmen. Upon his retirement in 1993, he and his wife Kathy continued their service to others by founding Triple H Equitherapy in Pipe Creek, Texas, using horses to help people with special physical and mental needs.

Kent was a 1963 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and a decorated Vietnam veteran awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Bronze Star. He held graduate degrees from George Washington and Auburn Universities in Political Science and Education.

35th Reunion (1998): If late is not better than never, then don't bother to read any farther—but on the chance that it is, I’Il write on. Watching grass grow or paint dry has to be more interesting than writing about one's self After completing a master’s degree in international affairs at Georgetown University, I began my Air Force journey in UPT at Williams AFB, AZ, and remained there four years as a T-38 IP. Prior to departing for a conversion course in the RF-4C at Bergstrom AFB, TX, I made the smartest decision of my life when I married my best friend, Kathy Ehlers. Trips in the RF-4 included Vietnam in 1970, a return to Bergstrom AFB for three years, and my final flying assignment with the 26th Tac Recon Wing at Zweibrucken AFB, Germany, as its Vice Commander. Flying was interrupted with a tour at the Academy in the Political Science Department and the standard Squadron Officers School, Armed Forces Staff College, and an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force at their War College in Cranwell, England. Since alternative assignments always seemed to be located in the Pentagon, we remained in Europe for twelve years—Mama didn't raise any dummies—beginning at Stuttgart, Germany, as the Chief of Current Operations in the European Command's Joint Reconnaissance Center. Next stop was Brussels, as Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation for Belgium and Luxembourg selling F-16s and looking for potential cruise missile bases. Having not yet been fired, we moved on to London as the Defense and Air Attaché' at a time when F-111s were bombing Libya and everyone hated American nukes. Finally, as Commander of the 303rd Cruise Missile Wing, I was given the opportunity to lead the last cruise missile wing to become operational and the first to be inactivated under the Intermediate-range Nuclear Force Treaty with the Soviet—who?— Union. We completed our European Odyssey when the Soviet inspection team completed its first inspection of RAF Molesworth. Culture (and professional) shock was extreme when we settled into Montgomery, AL, and the Air War College as a professor, then Assistant Dean. The journey made an amazing turn when it took me to the still- Soviet Union as a member of the US-Soviet Joint Military Exchange Program which, among other things, attempted to introduce the Red Army to the concept of democracy and Congressional relations! Having run out of altitude, airspeed, and runway all about the same time, my journey came to its end with a personally meaningful retirement ceremony conducted on the Honor Court at the same spot I had raised my innocent right hand thirty years before as Cadet Harbaugh to start this fantastic journey. The ceremony was shared with ever-faithful Kathy and our two sons, Kent Jr., who is now a member of the Wolf Pack flying F- 16s from Kunsan, Korea, and Ken who is at NAS Pensacola earning his gold Naval Aviator wings. Proud as can be of both of them. Equally meaningful for me was the presence of Colonel Mal Wakin, who had been teacher, mentor, and moral guide throughout my journey: he finally fired me! After all that fun, I thought I would have to grow up and go to work; but I went to Texas instead so I can still have fun. My sidekick for so many years is now directing a therapeutic horseback riding program for disabled children and adults with 10 horses on a 120 acre "place" about 45 minutes north of San Antonio in the Texas Hill Country. I am fence rider, repair man, and General Manure Manager. We shared the first 30 years for me, flying around the world- now we'll share the next 30 for her, riding horses around Texas.