Larry Getz
Located: Michigan
Position: Managing Director
Larry retired from the Navy after 31 years as a Naval Aviator. He successfully commanded organizations in size from 100 to 3,000 both in combat and peacetime. Larry has a proven track record for leadership both in, and out of, the Department of Defense. He has the distinct honor of being the only officer to serve as the Military Aide to three Secretaries of Defense.
Building and contributing to high performing teams that improve connections with our teammates’ quality of life as well as making the organization a place people want to be, and sad to leave, brings meaning to his life. Driving an organization’s culture to be one based in trust and anchored to an honorable mission builds character, competence, and a sense of pride in being part of something bigger than ourselves.
As Commanding Officer of both a squadron and a ship, his greatest accomplishment was to win the Golden Anchor and Retention Award in both commands signifying that sailors wanted to continue to serve in the Navy because of the organization’s leadership and positive command climate. Both organizations were also awarded the Battle “E” for excellence in their primary warfare mission areas and effectiveness indicating they were the best in class on their respective coast.
During Larry’s tenure as Commanding Officer, he assumed the lead of a 25-helicopter deployment for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance in Haiti, flying both day and night in unfamiliar terrain to deliver food and medicine to remote areas during Operation Unified Response saving countless lives. His unit was also the first active-duty squadron to deploy to Iraq in support of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force supporting Tier 1 forces completing hundreds of combat sorties reducing the ISIS threat to a stable Iraq.
After attending National War College and receiving a degree in National Strategic Studies, Larry was selected by Defense Secretary Robert Gates as his personal Military Aide. He then served Secretaries Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel.
His tenure with pentagons inner circle afforded extensive institutional politico-civil-military experience. He coordinated the most sensitive and highly visible issues with the White House, National Security Council, Joint Staff and Combatant Commanders.
Larry volunteers his time as a coach and mentor for The Honor Foundation which helps service members who are in the special operations community transition from the military to the civilian sector.
Larry currently resides in Milford, Michigan, with his wife, Stacy. They have a son playing collegiate baseball in Michigan and a daughter playing collegiate volleyball in Florida.