The General and Geo-Politics

In May, Usher made an initial pledge of $500,000 to establish the Major General William R. Usher USAF (Ret) Fund for Geo-political Studies. This fund, part of the 130th Anniversary Campaign, will help promote Usher’s same life-long engagement in national security and geo-politics at his alma mater. The income from his pledge will be used for such geo-political initiatives as Center for International Education programs and study abroad scholarships. The pledge will also fund visiting speakers whose expertise includes national security in the 21^st century, crisis management, strategic planning, information technology and cybersecurity.

 

“We are thrilled with Bill’s generous gift and the impact it will have on education for the head, heart and hand," said Allyson Goodwin '83, NMH's chief advancement officer. "It will provide much-needed support for initiatives to educate our students about the importance of understanding the larger world."

 

Usher said that, in view of advancing globalization, the world becoming more interdependent, and for the United States to maintain world leadership, it was critical that NMH students learn more about national security and geo-political issues.

 

“I think it vital that NMH students both become informed about international political, economic, security, and environmental issues,” said Usher, “and, by applying the principles of critical thinking, develop rational, logical views about them.”

 

Usher was born in Worcester, Mass. After graduating from Mount Hermon School in 1950, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University in 1954 and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University in 1960. He also completed courses at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

 

Usher retired from the military in September 1985 after an impressive term of service that spanned more than 31 years. Over the course of his career, the general served in command and staff positions with the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Staff, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, as well as operational positions in England, Germany, Vietnam and Korea. Among his assignments, Usher was at one-time responsible for all air intelligence from Norway to Iran. Also of note was his position as Senior Advisor to the Commander, Turkish Air Force and as Air Force Section Chief for the Joint US Military Mission for Aid to Turkey following the Turkish and member of Ambassador’s Country Team following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and subsequent Congressional embargo of military assistance to Turkey.

 

For his service, Usher received more than 20 US and foreign decorations, including two Distinguished Service Medals, two Legions of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, six Air Medals, and two Joint Service Commendation Medals. 

 

Usher is managing director of William R. Usher Consulting, Inc., a firm that supports US military and intelligence agencies. General Usher also advises commercial information technology companies on conducting business with US defense and intelligence agencies.

 

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance Executive Committee, the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association Intelligence Committee, the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, the Order of Daedalians, and the Air Force Association.

 

From 1991–97 Usher was Vice Chairman of the National Board of Governors of the American Red Cross and chairman of its Finance Committee. From November 1997 to November 2005, he served the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland, as president of its finance commission and member of its Governing Board.

 

Usher has two sons, William Reed (Chip) Usher, III of Tel Aviv, Israel and John Webb Usher, of Herndon, Va.. He resides in Alexandria, Va.