CaptainKaren J. Hard, USN (Retired)
Captain Hard, a native of Lincoln, Nebraska, entered the Navy through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. As the Battalion Commander she received the Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Midshipman Graduates Award. Upon graduation in 1982, she was commissioned as a Cryptologic Officer.
Captain Hard’s first assignment was to Naval Security Group Department, Naval Communications Station, Rota, Spain for duty as Operations Watch Officer and Communications Security Division Officer. She then reported to the Soviet Naval Forces Division at the National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, and served as Deputy Branch Chief for operational computer support.
In 1989, she transitioned from Active Duty to the Reserve Component. She served as Administrative Officer, Operations Officer and Executive Officer with Naval Security Group Reserve (NSGR) units in Washington, D.C.; Topeka, Kansas; Willow Grove, Pennsylvania; and Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Captain Hard commanded NRSG Detroit (1999-2001) and NRSG Fort Dix (2001-2003). She then served on the CNSGR National Staff and as the initial Operations Support Officer to NIOC Georgia. Her final National Staff assignment was as the N1R to Naval Network Warfare Command, providing manpower and community/rating advisory support to the Signals Intelligence, Network Operations, Space, and Information Operations domains across Navy Net-Centric Warfare Group. During her last command tour, she stood up the Navy Reserve U.S. Tenth Fleet unit (2009-2011). Her Navy career culminated with active duty at U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (2010-2012), leading manpower, personnel, and training requirements for the Cyber workforce.
Captain Hard is the Senior Naval Science Instructor at Perth Amboy High School, leading more than 110 cadets in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (2013-present).
She graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska majoring in Computer Science, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She earned her Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership in December 2013.
Personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal. She earned her Information Dominance Warfare (IDW) pin in October 2010.
Captain Hard is married to David C. Hard of Chatsworth, California, a former EA-3B Naval Flight Officer. They have three children: David - a 2011 graduate of U.S. Air Force Academy, who is now a 1st Lieutenant in the USAF, serving as a KC-135 tanker pilot; Jonathan, a junior majoring in business at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and Joshua who is at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in Computer Gaming Design.