Retired vice admiral, Hilton Head resident awarded Navy's top civilian honor

John Lockard had just been promoted to vice admiral in 1991 when he got an invitation to volunteer at the Navy Federal Credit Union.

He had been a member of the credit union since 1966, two years after he enlisted. He wasted no time in accepting the offer.

Two decades later, Lockard, now a retiree on Hilton Head Island, is the chairman of the credit union's board, a volunteer position he's held since 1994. His commitment to the credit union earned him the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the military branch's highest civilian honor.

Lockard, 70, received the award Thursday at the credit union's headquarters near Washington, D.C., from Admiral Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations.

A Chickasaw, Ala., native, Lockard joined the Navy in 1964 and became a pilot in 1966. He served three tours during the Vietnam War, flying 332 combat missions off aircraft carriers.

After his pilot career, Lockard worked in the Naval Air Systems Command with the F/A-18 fighter jet program. He later became the jet's program manager for the Navy, before transferring to senior positions in research and development divisions.

Shortly after his promotion to vice admiral, the Navy Federal Credit Union asked if he would be a volunteer official. In 1993, he was elected to its board of directors, which makes policy decisions. A few months later, he was elected chairman.

Since then, the credit union has seen tremendous growth worldwide. The 5 million-member credit union has the largest credit union membership in the world and has opened locations in places such as Bahrain and Djbouti where the U.S. has a military presence.

Lockard found out a month ago he had been selected for the Distinguished Public Service Award. Many of his former coworkers attended Thursday's ceremony.

"It was a huge honor," he said. "I was humbled by the recognition and humbled by the people I hadn't seen in a long time."

After retiring from the Navy in 2000, Lockard worked a decade for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, becoming the defense contractor's chief operating officer. He retired in 2009.

Lockard first came to Hilton Head on a boating trip down the Atlantic coast in 2011. Kept at Palmetto Bay Marina by bad weather, he and his wife looked at homes with friends who regularly vacationed in the area. The couple bought a house in Wexford Plantation and "have been here ever since," Lockard said.

Though he enjoys retirement, Lockard plans to stay on as chairman of the credit union's board. He was elected to another three-year term in April.

This story was originally published September 26, 2014 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Retired vice admiral, Hilton Head resident awarded Navy's top civilian honor."