(The National Transportation Safety Board issued the following news release on February 13.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker has announced the appointment of Gary L. Halbert as the agency’s new General Counsel. Mr. Halbert assumed his new duties today.
Colonel Halbert comes to the Safety Board after 27 years in the United States Air Force, where he held a number of senior legal positions. He most recently was Director,
Executive Issues, in Air Force Headquarters Communications, where he was responsible for, among other things, strategic and crisis communications. Earlier positions included Staff Judge Advocate and Legal Counsel to the Commander, Third Air Force, at Mildenhall Royal Air Force Base in the United Kingdom; Executive Assistant to the Air Force Judge Advocate General; Senior Attorney and Legal Counsel to the Commander
of Barksdale Air Force Base; and Chief Counsel for Information and Privacy Law and Chief Counsel for Administrative Law at the Pentagon.
“I am extremely pleased to have someone with such strong legal, management and aviation credentials join us as our new General Counsel,” Acting Chairman Rosenker said. “I look forward to working with Gary as he leads what is in my opinion one of the best legal offices in our government.”
Halbert is a licensed pilot and flight instructor, having logged approximately 1,500 hours in T-41s, T-37s, T-38s and sailplanes.
Halbert graduated with distinction from the United States Air Force Academy, and graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. He also earned a Master of Science degree from the National War College in Washington, D.C.
He succeeds Ronald Battocchi, who retired as NTSB General Counsel in January.
Halbert and his wife, LuAnne, have two children and live in Fairfax, Virginia.