From Black Hawks to Lake Mead: An Army Veteran Finds a New Way to Lead

After 21 years in the Army and 6 years flying emergency medical aircraft, Michael Hester brings his leadership experience home to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

When summer monsoon storms hit Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a day’s work can change quickly. Crews may need to respond to flooded roads, downed trees or damaged facilities while continuing to care for a park that welcomes visitors year-round.

For Michael Hester, who works in facility operations at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the challenge calls for something he learned during 21 years in the U.S. Army: assess the situation, adjust the plan and trust the people around you.

“Things rarely go exactly as planned,” Hester said. “You have to be able to adjust, make decisions, and trust your team to get the job done.”

Hester has served in several supervisory roles at Lake Mead, overseeing maintenance crews and coordinating projects across the recreation area. Much of their work happens behind the scenes, from repairing water systems and maintaining facilities to keeping campgrounds clean and responding to emergencies.

Lake Mead is also a place Hester has known since childhood. He grew up in nearby Boulder City and spent time at the lake with his family.

“It’s pretty cool to think that I went from being a kid playing at the lake to helping take care of it,” he said.

His path back began with an Army career that took him from the infantry to the cockpit. Hester served from 1997 to 2018, spending his first 11 years in the infantry and advancing from rifleman to platoon sergeant. He also served as a sniper school instructor and drill sergeant.

In 2008, he moved into Army aviation and became a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot. He later served as a pilot in command, mission commander and operations officer before retiring as a chief warrant officer.

After the Army, Hester spent six years flying emergency medical aircraft for Tri-State Careflight in Arizona. He joined the National Park Service in 2024, finding a new use for his experience in a place that already meant a great deal to him.

Moving into the National Park Service meant adapting to a different work environment, but his approach to leadership remained familiar.

“Taking care of your people, earning their trust, and leading by example go a long way,” he said.

Along with helping provide visitors a safe and enjoyable experience, Hester values working with employees and volunteers as they develop their skills and take on new challenges.

For veterans considering an National Park Service career, he encourages an open mind. Opportunities extend beyond the roles visitors may see most often, he said, and military experience can translate into work throughout the agency.

“Your military experience has value, but you also have to be willing to adapt to a different way of doing things,” he said.

Today, helping care for Lake Mead National Recreation Area gives Hester the chance to put those lessons to work while helping other families make memories at the place he enjoyed growing up.

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