Veterans in Advanced Energy Profile: Robert Hayward

ROBERT HAYWARD, a 2020-2021 Veterans advanced energy fellow. click the button below to learn more about the fellowship.

Robert Hayward, a 2020-2021 Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow, helped rebuild electric and water infrastructure in Baghdad, Iraq as a young US Army officer. That experience helped him to see how important energy access is to our society and drives his work to close the gap here at home. To other veterans leaving the military, he says to take a pause to find your cause before jumping job to job. As told to Leah Emanuel.

Why did you join the military?

I was in ROTC when the 9/11 attacks happened. I’m not going to say 9/11 was the driving force that fortified my stance going into the military, but I believed that I needed to lead my career with service first—and I truly believe that I have been afforded so many opportunities as a result. I didn’t know what shape, form, or fashion that service would be, but I did know that I wanted to lead with service as my first career choice after I finished up college. The reason I chose the military as that venue of service is because the military is where the rubber meets the road, where you can interact with individuals from all facets of life. 

I also wanted to understand what it meant to sacrifice on behalf of others. I thought I understood what that was, but when I actually got into the military, I saw there was a deeper aspect that I could explore. I think the most important piece for me was ensuring that I did my part. I wanted to be able to look back and say, “I did my part for my country.” On the flipside, the military helped me grow by leaps and bounds. I call it the best of times and the worst of times, but in the end it shaped me to be a more compassionate and empathetic individual, to be able to put myself in the shoes of others first. 

I call it the best of times and the worst of times, but in the end it shaped me to be a more compassionate and empathetic individual, to be able to put myself in the shoes of others first

What was your role in the military? 

I was commissioned as a second lieutenant aviation officer. I went through flight school and became a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot. As time moved on, I held multiple leadership positions. What shaped me the most was my military transition team where I worked with citizens of Iraq and the Iraqi Army of Engineers in order to build back Baghdad. After I finished up my military transition team job, I commanded an AH-64 Apache headquarters company in South Korea. I then came back to the United States as a UH-60 Blackhawk company commander. My culminating point in the military was when I commanded the 563rd Aviation Support Company of the 101st Airborne Division. That was my final job. I had a lot of aviation experiences, lots of flying, and lots of leadership. Even though I was in charge, I was more a servant to my soldiers and to my colleagues, and I learned from each and every last one of them on a daily basis. 

photo provided by robert hayward

How did the military influence your career trajectory into energy?

One of the big jobs that changed the scope of what I wanted to do after the military was when I was a military supervisor working directly with civil engineers in Baghdad. We were responsible for re-establishing the infrastructure—such as electricity, sewage water, oil and gas pipelines—for standing up the Iraqi military bases, and for making sure that the communities were getting the infrastructure that was required. I saw how important developing infrastructure was in order to accomplish our mission and stabilize the areas that we were in. Throughout each of my commands, I was responsible for establishing or maintaining various installations—a heliport or an operating base—and I started understanding just how important energy is in driving civility for all facets of society and all facets of life, including all military missions. More importantly, when we were working with the local governments in Iraq and Afghanistan, our generators became important. They were viewed as olive branches to those local communities. I understood the difference that power generation can make towards the progression of a society. 

When I came out of the military, that was something that I wanted to explore more, but more so in impoverished areas in the United States. There was not only a gap in the emerging markets and conflict zones that I was involved in—it was also happening here. The military injected me into these environments, I like to call them the laboratory, and now I can bring that expertise on how to develop this infrastructure in impoverished or rural settings back home.

What are you most excited about in advanced energy developments, and what are you most concerned about?

When I was coming up, it was like the elephant in the room. You knew that everyone understood that fossil fuels are bad for the environment, but we weren’t focusing our investments on technologies such as electric vehicles, solar, battery storage, or advanced energy. It was always more of a capitalistic approach to energy. Now, there is not a conversation about power generation without the integration of renewables, without the integration of advanced technologies. Society is starting to recognize that this can work, that this is the next wave of jobs that are going to shape our society and shape our future. So that’s what I’m most excited about, that this is accepted now because even as recent as 2012 oil and gas was still a hot commodity. 

What I’m most concerned about is the “not in my backyard” train of thought. You still have a faction out there that is denying climate change, putting capitalistic needs over the needs of individuals who have less. If that train of thought continues to reverberate, it will spread throughout the emerging markets. Within these markets we have an opportunity to lay a foundation of renewables and sustainable technologies up front, instead of capitalizing on fossil fuels in feeding these societies’ profit margins versus environmental energy security. That’s what I fear most. 

Why is energy important to U.S. national security?

563rd Aviation Support Company. Photo provided by robert hayward.

I’ll start off with the military. As we continue to deploy overseas—and problems will arise in the future as we continue to have a presence in areas where there is instability—our military’s dependence on fossil fuels will remain a hindrance to military capability and combat power. If we’re not able to sustain our forces outside of fossil fuels, you will have soldiers dying on the roads in order to deliver these goods. You’re putting your service members at risk through the dependence on these fossil fuels, and you’re building a force that is always going to be limited by the supply chain line. Whereas if you’re utilizing renewable energy sources, battery storage sources, your personal and combat power can be utilized to solve critical problems versus solving logistical, operational, strategic problems that accompanies fossil fuels.

Number two is our dependence on foreign oil. In the recent Texas winter storm, the primary culprit was that we did not have redundant systems in place. When you start talking about the national security aspects of it, the lack of redundant systems offers a soft target on the international stage. The third aspect is the need to foster energy independence within emerging markets because fossil fuels are limited resources. You have a good that is of limited supply and individuals in need of those goods will create instability and conflict. With sustainable solutions, there will be no need need for conflict because you’re acquiring energy from a source that is sustainable. 

Do you have advice you would like to share with other veterans? 

For veterans coming out of the military, I would say their first priority should be focus on their formal education. Take a pause to continue your formal education and to understand the world that you’re living in. Get into an environment where there is diversity of thought, understand where others are coming from. It will make you more effective in your work environment; it will make you more effective in your career; and it will also help you to find a purpose instead of jumping from job to job. 

As far as veterans entering energy, I think most veterans are looking for a purpose and to continue serving. The best service that we can provide is to get involved in the transition of our energy sector from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Be a part of the movement. I liken that to the World War II veterans that came back and utilized their GI Bill to tackle the changes within society that drove economic growth, prosperity, and innovation. I think veterans, for the most part, need to take that pause and find that cause that they’re looking for. Get involved in the change that's occurring within the energy sector.   

What is your greatest take-away from the Veterans Advanced Energy Fellowship? 

Some of the things I struggle with as veteran, I thought I was alone in. What I found is that veterans need to continue service and drive innovation, be a part of something bigger than themselves. It exists in all of us. My takeaway is that I’m not alone in this. It’s natural: the way that I feel, the struggles that I have. It also opens new doors to meet people. It’s an opportunity to listen to folk, to understand people, and to collaborate.