Dwain DeNeal Hartwick, Esq.

Hartwick retired from the United States Army after 22 years of service, completing a career deeply rooted in Army Aviation. His military service included multiple assignments in the Republic of Vietnam and service with distinguished Army Aviation and cavalry organizations.

From March 1968 to March 1969, Hartwick served with B Company, 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion (ASHB), 1st Cavalry Division. He later returned to Vietnam and, from September 1971 to January 1972, served with D Troop, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, using the call sign “Charleyhorse 37.” From January through September 1972, he served with the 129th Assault Helicopter Company, where historical unit records identify his call sign as “Cobra 54.”

These assignments placed Hartwick within the Army Aviation community during a defining period in the development and combat employment of rotary-wing aviation. His service with assault support helicopter, air cavalry, and assault helicopter organizations provided him with a broad operational perspective and established a lifelong connection to the soldiers and aviators whose courage, innovation, and sacrifice helped shape the history and heritage of Army Aviation.

An accomplished aviator, Hartwick holds an extensive range of professional aviation qualifications. His ratings include Airline Transport Pilot–Helicopter and Commercial Pilot–Airplane, along with dual instrument qualifications. He also holds Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor–Instrument (CFII) credentials, as well as Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) and Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) ratings. Complementing his flight qualifications, Hartwick is also a certificated Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic, providing him with an unusually comprehensive background encompassing both the operational and technical dimensions of aviation.

Following his military career, Hartwick entered the legal profession and was admitted to practice law in Alabama in 1998 after attending Jones School of Law. Based in Enterprise, Alabama, his professional experience has included a broad range of legal matters, including aviation and aerospace law, criminal law, family law, bankruptcy, juvenile matters, personal injury, and real estate. His legal career has included courtroom advocacy before Alabama courts as well as service on the bench prior to his retirement from judicial service.

Hartwick’s commitment to service continued well beyond his military and judicial careers. He has remained actively involved in organizations dedicated to supporting veterans and preserving the bonds formed through military service. He has served with American Legion Post 73 in Enterprise and with the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 2216, where he has served as Chapter Adjutant. He also volunteers his legal knowledge and experience in support of veterans and veterans’ causes, continuing a personal tradition of service that began during his Army career.

As Director of Legal Compliance for the Attack Helicopter Association, Hartwick provides guidance supporting the Association’s legal, regulatory, governance, and organizational responsibilities. His military aviation background gives him a personal understanding of the community whose history AHA seeks to preserve, while his legal and judicial experience provides an important foundation for ensuring the Association operates responsibly and in accordance with its nonprofit mission.

Hartwick’s service to the Attack Helicopter Association represents a natural continuation of a lifetime devoted to aviation, the law, public service, and America’s veterans. From his Vietnam service with B Company, 228th ASHB, 1st Cavalry Division, through his service as “Charleyhorse 37” with D Troop, 3/5 Cavalry and “Cobra 54” with the 129th Assault Helicopter Company, to his subsequent Army Aviation, legal, judicial, and veterans-service careers, Hartwick embodies the values of service, professionalism, integrity, and commitment to preserving the legacy of those who served in the attack-helicopter community.

Outside his professional and veterans-service activities, Hartwick enjoys woodworking and remains committed to giving his time, legal knowledge, and experience in service to others.

See all AHA Leadership »