Military Commission
Established in 2005 under RSMo 41.1010, the eleven-member commission consists of two members of the Missouri Senate, two members of the Missouri House of Representatives, and seven members appointed by the governor. The chairman of the Missouri Veterans' Commission or designee and the director of the Department of Economic Development or designee serve ex officio.
The Commission shall:
- Advise the governor and the general assembly on military issues and economic and industrial development related to military issues;
- Make recommendations regarding:
- Developing policies and plans to support the long-term viability and prosperity of the military, active and retiree, and civilian military employees, in this state, including promoting strategic regional alliances that may extend over state lines;
- Developing methods to improve private and public employment opportunities for former members of the military and their families residing in this state; and
- Developing methods to assist defense-dependent communities in the design and execution of programs that enhance a community's relationship with military installations and defense-related businesses;
- Provide information to communities, the general assembly, the state's congressional delegation, and state agencies regarding federal actions affecting military installations and missions;
- Serve as a clearinghouse for:
- Defense economic adjustment and transition information and activities; and
- Information concerning the following:
i. Issues related to the operating costs, missions, and strategic value of federal military installations located in the state;
ii. Employment issues for communities that depend on defense bases and in defense-related businesses; and
iii. Defense strategies and incentive programs that other states are using to maintain, expand, and attract new defense contractors;
- Provide assistance to communities that have experienced a defense-related closure or realignment;
- Assist communities in the design and execution of programs that enhance a community's relationship with military installations and defense-related businesses, including regional alliances that may extend over state lines;
- Assist communities in the retention and recruiting of defense-related businesses, including fostering strategic regional alliances that may extend over state lines;
- Prepare a biennial strategic plan that:
- Fosters the enhancement of military value of the contributions of Missouri military installations to national defense strategies;
- Considers all current and anticipated base realignment and closure criteria; and
- Develops strategies to protect the state's existing military missions and positions the state to be competitive for new and expanded military missions;
Encourage economic development in this state by fostering the development of industries related to defense affairs.
Commissioners
Governor Appointed Members
Steve Ehrhardt, Chairman
Springfield, MO
Ehrhardt is the President and Owner of Ehrhardt Properties and other related business entities. He owns, operates, and manages hotels, apartment complexes, and other real estate in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Ehrhardt holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting from the University of Central Missouri.
In addition to his professional duties, Steve is active in many community organizations including Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association, Sustainable Ozarks Partnership, Mid Missouri Chapter Association US Army, IHG Owners Association and the Leonard Wood Institute.
Steve is active in the Catholic faith. He has been married to his wife Donna for 30 years and they have one son, Jack.
Frank Grass, General (ret), Former Chief, National Guard Bureau
Columbia, MO
General Frank J. Grass served as the 27th Chief, National Guard Bureau and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, he served as a military adviser to the President, Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and was the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the Governors and State Adjutants General on all matters pertaining to the National Guard. He was responsible for ensuring that the more than 470,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable, and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat resources to the Army and Air Force.
Prior to his assignment as the 27th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Grass served as Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command and Vice Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command (USELEMNORAD) at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. As Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command, General Grass helped lead the command to anticipate, prepare and respond to threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories, and interests within the assigned area of responsibility and as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense.
General Grass enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in October 1969. He attended the Missouri Army National Guard Military Academy Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in the Engineer Corps in 1981. He has served in a variety of command and staff positions as a traditional National Guard Soldier, in the Active Guard and Reserve program, and on active duty. In his first general officer assignment, he served as Deputy Director of the Army National Guard in Arlington, Virginia.
Charles Williams, Rear Admiral (ret), Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy
St. Louis, MO
Rear Admiral Charles Williams is former assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment where he was responsible for oversight and policy of Navy and Marine Corps facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization; military construction; real property and facilities acquisition, utilization, and disposal; environmental protection, planning, and restoration; natural resource conservation; and safety and occupational health.
Prior to his appointment as assistant secretary, Rear Admiral Williams was a Principal partner for Commercial Realty LLC in St. Louis, a commercial real estate firm specializing in client representation for office, industrial, retail and investment properties. Before that he was employed as a logistics engineer with McDonnel Douglas Corporation working on F-18 supportability as well as serving in positions as a contract negotiator for the AV-8B and F-18 programs.
Rear Admiral Williams retired with 32.5 years of service as a naval logistician, last serving as Deputy Commander, Naval Inventory Control Point – a 2,800-person organization with $5 billion in sales responsible for aviation, ship, and submarine parts.
He received an undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1972 and an MBA from St. Louis University in 1981. After earning his commission through Aviation Officer Candidate School, Rear Admiral Williams attended the Navy Supply Corps School and Joint Aviation Supply/Maintenance Program. In 1974 he was assigned to VS-28 and CAG-6 while deployed onboard USS America (CV-66).
Among his numerous career accomplishments, he is recipient of the prestigious Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service award – the highest DoD honor granted for public service, and Armed Services Legion of Merit.
Steve Wallach
St. Louis County, MO
Wallach has over 40 years of experience in the defense, intelligence and civil communities; this includes more than 32 years with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), and he served as the Senior Vice President of National Security Strategy at GeoEye. Currently, Wallach is an independent consultant for National Security activities.
Wallach is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, Webster University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and the Senior Acquistion Course of the Defense Acquisition University. He was inducted into the NGA Hall of Fame and received Northwest Missouri State University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016.
He is married and has two grown children and resides in Saint Louis County, Missouri.
Greg Frencken
Windsor, MO
Frencken is the owner of Frencken Insurance and Financial Services, Inc in Windsor, MO as well as Jewell Enterprises, LLC, which is involved in commercial property purchasing and leasing. He is a Civic Leader on the Air Force Global Strike Command Commander’s Civic Leader Group and serves on the boards of Whiteman Area Leadership Council and Whiteman Base Community Council. In the past, Frencken served as President of the Whiteman Base Community Council, and he implemented both the Adopt an Airman and Airman Home for the Holidays programs during that time.
Frencken is a graduate from the University of Missouri where he studied Health Services Management. He lives on a farm with his wife Jessica and his youngest child, and he has three children total.
Hart Nelson
St. Louis, MO
Hart Nelson was appointed Chief Operating Officer at St. Louis Community College in January 2022. Nelson has over 25 years of experience in public policy, government relations, intelligence, and information technology. He is responsible for the facilities, project management, information technology, and workforce solutions departments. This included overseeing $450 million in new construction projects. He previously served as the college’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Workforce Solutions.
Before joining the college, Nelson was Vice President of Public Policy for the St. Louis Regional Chamber. He has been a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, serving in three U.S. Embassies overseas. He also served as an intelligence officer with the United States Navy and began his career as an information technology architect with IBM.
As a volunteer, Nelson is the past chairman of Citizens for Modern Transit and chairs the Brentwood Planning and Zoning Commission. He was appointed by both Governors Jay Nixon and Mike Parson as a member of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission.
Nelson holds master's degrees in business administration and information management from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Arts (double major) in political science and mass communication from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently a doctoral student at Maryville University.
Natalie Hawn
St. Joseph, MO
Natalie Hawn is the President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce where she oversees all Chamber activities including economic development, membership, and administration.
She joined the Chamber in August of 2005 as its Senior Vice President of Membership. Prior to that she was employed by Woody Bibens & Associates in St. Joseph as Tradeshow & Educational Manager for the Western Nursery & Landscape Association and held a position as Regional Account Manager for Pryor Resources, Inc. in Overland Park, Kansas.
Hawn graduated from Missouri Western State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations.
She is a graduate of Leadership St. Joseph and active as a United Way volunteer. Hawn currently serves on boards for the St. Joseph School District Foundation, Specialty Industries, Bode PTA, Innovation Stockyard and St. Joseph Sports Commission. Hawn has held past positions as president or chairman of the board for numerous civic and professional organizations that include Junior League of St. Joseph, YWCA, Allied Arts Association, Mosaic Auxiliary, Missouri Western State University Alumni Association and Chamber Executives of Missouri.
Members of the General Assembly
Senator Sandy Crawford (R), MO Senate - District 28
Buffalo, MO
Senator Sandy Crawford represents District 28 in the Missouri Senate, which is comprised of Benton, Cedar, Dallas, Hickory, Laclede, Pettis, Polk and St. Clair counties. Senator Crawford was elected to the Missouri Senate in August of 2017. She served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2010 – 2017.
Prior to becoming a state representative, Sen. Crawford enjoyed a 30-year banking career at O’Bannon Bank in Buffalo.
Senator Crawford is a lifelong resident of Dallas County. She is a 1975 graduate of Buffalo High School. She received her B.S. in Finance from Missouri State University in 1995, and she is a 1998 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.
Senator Crawford is a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lebanon, where she teaches third and fourth-grade girls’ Sunday school classes. Her other memberships include Dallas County Cattlemen, NRA, Farm Bureau, Buffalo FFA Alumni, State Fair Foundation and Lebanon Rotary (honorary member). In addition, Senator Crawford is on the advisory board for Lebanon Technical and Career Center, and the Dallas County Technical Center.
Senator Crawford was born on Oct. 1. She and her husband, John, raise beef cattle near Buffalo where they reside.
Steven Roberts (D), MO Senate - District 5
St. Louis, MO
Senator Steven Roberts was sworn into office on Jan. 6, 2021, to serve the people of the 5th Senatorial District and selected as the Democratic Whip for the Minority Party. He previously served two terms in the Missouri House of Representatives, from 2017 to 2020.
Senator Roberts is a fourth-generation St. Louis native, whose parents and grandparents overcame segregation and discrimination to establish their careers. His mother, Dr. Eva Frazer, became a distinguished doctor and his father a respected attorney, St. Louis Alderman and successful businessman. It is from his parents that he developed a strong sense of civic responsibility and social justice.
Senator Roberts holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Communication Studies from the University of Miami and received his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law. While in law school, his experiences included working in the U.S. Congress as a legislative intern; as a certified law clerk with the District Attorney’s Office in the City of Compton, California; and assisting the Counsel to Secure Justice in New Delhi, India, to help victims of violent sexual assault. After graduating law school, he joined AP Wireless Infrastructure Partners, LLC as a member of a team of attorneys responsible for managing over 100 million dollars of company assets. Following the events in Ferguson, Sen. Roberts returned to serve his community as a prosecutor for the City of St. Louis where he participated in over a hundred cases from minor weapons offenses to homicides. In addition to his legislative duties, he is the managing partner of Roberts Law, LLC.
He is a member of the Missouri Bar and U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Mound City Bar Association and a founder and former president of the St. Louis chapter of the National Black Prosecutor’s Association.
Senator Roberts currently resides in the City of St. Louis.
Representative Ashley Aune, MO House of Representatives - District 014
Kansas City, MO
Representative Ashley Aune, a Democrat, represents Platte and Clay Counties (District 14) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November 2020.
In addition to her legislative duties, Aune is the owner of Propel Creative Studio – a marketing agency in Kansas City. Aune received a bachelors’ degree in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas with a minor in English.
Born in Colorado and raised in Kansas, Aune now lives in the Kansas City Northland with her husband and stepdaughter.
Representative Bill Hardwick, MO House of Representatives - District 122
Waynesville, MO
Bill Hardwick represents part of Pulaski County and Fort Leonard Wood in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to his first two year term in 2020.
Prior to serving in the Missouri Legislature, Representative Hardwick was a supervisory attorney as a Department of the Army civilian, a Special Assistant United States Attorney and served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Pulaski County, Missouri. He was the City Prosecutor for St. Robert, Missouri and taught courses as an adjunct professor in political science, business, philosophy and law. Representative Hardwick also litigated cases in the private sector as an attorney in private practice.
Representative Hardwick served as an enlisted Soldier and officer in the Missouri National Guard and U.S. Army. He led combat patrols in Baghdad, Iraq. He served as an engineer platoon leader and company commander. Representative Hardwick graduated with honors from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he earned a skill identifier as a strategist. He continues to serve in the Missouri Army National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Born in Rolla, Missouri, Representative Hardwick is a graduate of Dixon High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Classics from the University of Missouri and Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Missouri. He enjoys hunting, fishing, reading and movies. He and his wife, Teresa, reside in Waynesville, Missouri.
Ex-Officio Members
Harry Roberts, Missouri Military Advocate
Harry Roberts was appointed as the Military Advocate for the State of Missouri in January 2022. The Military Advocate serves a 6-year term in office, upon nomination by the Governor and with the advice and consent of the Missouri Senate. The position was created by the General Assembly in 2015 which established the Office of Military Advocate, an agency charged with the responsibility of coordinating efforts to preserve and enhance Missouri’s military installations and agencies and supporting the success of the state’s defense businesses. The Military Advocate also serves as the Executive Director of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission. As the Governor’s military affairs representative, the Military Advocate serves as the liaison between state and federal branches of government and provides enhanced communication to Missouri government leaders and installation communities in all efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state’s military assets.
Mr. Roberts’ official public service began when he was elected to Presiding Commissioner of Buchanan County in 2014, where he served one four-year term from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2018. As presiding commissioner, he successfully advocated for funding of the 139th Airlift Wing located at Rosecrans Airport and numerous MILCON projects. During his term, Buchanan County also welcomed many new businesses, including Daily’s, a premium bacon manufacturer, and SchutzContainer.
Mr. Roberts also served as President of the Board for Buchanan County Emergency Medical Services from 2015 –2018. BCEMS is the ambulance provider for all of Buchanan County and was six months into its infancy in January 2015 without a headquarters. Instead, it was leasing space from MOSAIC/Heartland Health, who had discontinued services six months prior. By the end of 2018, they had constructed and paid for a headquarters and secured two strategically located hard posts that allowed the county to operate the ambulances at a 33% reduction in cost and improved response times.
Mr. Roberts most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft since May 1, 2019.
Paul Kirchhoff, Executive Director, Missouri Veterans Commision
Kirchhoff is a highly-experienced leader with an extensive background in resource management with an emphasis in public service. He formerly served as the Director of Missouri Emergency Response Commission. He also formerly served as the Director of the Missouri National Guard’s Warrior Support Program as well as Director of the Guard’s Missouri Military Funeral Honors Program.
He served 33 years of combined enlisted and commissioned military service, serving both on active duty with the U.S. Army and with the Missouri Army National Guard. Kirchhoff served on combat tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Duty assignments included: Brigade Administrative Officer, Battalion Operations Officer, Battalion Commander and Regimental Commander.
Kirchhoff’s military schools he attended include: U.S. Army War College; Human Resources Management Qualification Course; Advanced Joint Professional Military Education; Air War College; Army Command & General Staff College; Field Artillery Captains Career Course; Military Intelligence Captains & Transition Career Courses; Combined Arms Staff Services School; Engineer Officer Advanced & Basic Courses; U.S. Army Airborne School; Personnel Actions Specialist Course.
His military awards for service include: Legion of Merit Award; Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award); Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal (2nd Award); Joint Service Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal; Achievement Medal (2nd Award); National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award); Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon (One Campaign Star); Iraq Campaign Medal (Two Campaign Stars); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (2nd Award); Humanitarian Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device & Silver Hourglass (2nd Award); Army Service Ribbon; Army; Overseas Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (6th Award); NATO ISAF Ribbon; Missouri Conspicuous Service Medal; Missouri Expeditionary Ribbon; Missouri Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon; Missouri Iraqi Campaign Ribbon; Missouri State Emergency Duty Ribbon; Missouri 20 Year Long Service Ribbon; Florida Meritorious Service Ribbon; Florida Active State Duty Ribbon; Louisiana Emergency Services Ribbon; Valorous Unit Award (2nd Award); Joint Meritorious Unit Award (2nd Award); Combat Action Badge; Parachutist Badge.
Kirchhoff earned M.S. degrees in Management from Webster University and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Kirchhoff is married with two sons. He resides in Jefferson City.