Bob Macfarlane - Director of Communications

Born and raised in East Hartford, Connecticut, Bob Macfarlane attended the University of Connecticut, where he completed the Reserve Officer Training Program and received a commission as an officer in the United States Air Force.  Bob’s first assignment was with a satellite operations group in the newly formed Space Command (now the Space Force), where he received the Air Force Achievement Medal for his critical actions during the launch of a $70M satellite.  In 1988 Bob transitioned to the AF reserves and joined the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire AFB where he served as an operations officer, squadron commander, and deputy group commander.  Bob was activated in 2005 for Operation Enduring Freedom and deployed to European Command Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, to work with coalition partners in Europe and Africa to support the global war on terrorism.  Bob was later sent to the Pentagon on a special project to “reinvigorate the nuclear enterprise” after critical incidents occurred with our nation’s nuclear arsenal.  Bob finished his career in the Defense Logistics Agency and retired in 2013 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

 

After transitioning to the Air Force reserves, Bob began his civilian career as a satellite engineer in General Electric’s Astro Space Division.  In 1992, Bob left GE to pursue a career in IT consulting where he specialized in the design, development, and implementation of computer networks and applications.  Bob later moved into management consulting where he advised clients on process improvement, business strategy, and change management.  During his career, Bob worked at several consulting firms, notably Grant Thornton and Booz Allen, and his clients ranged from small mom and pop businesses to Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries including Defense, Life Sciences, Financial Services, and Healthcare. 

 

Bob joined the Guardians of the National Cemetery Honor Guard as a volunteer on the Monday team in November 2025 and was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors as Director of Communications in July 2026. He leads internal and external communications for the Foundation, keeping the community, donors, volunteers, and honor guard members informed and engaged as the Guardians carry forward their mission of honoring our nation's veterans.