Summary: Colonel Peter M. Pollock currently serves as a Deputy Division Chief in the A1 directorate for Integrated Resilience at AETC, while also serving as adjunct faculty for Air University in the Leadership and Command arena for IDE. Prior to his current position, he served as a Business Strategy and Planning Manager at USAA, where he worked for 6 years. Colonel Pollock retired from the Air Force after 24 years of service in 2017. His last assignment was as the commander of the 18th Force support Squadron, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan. Colonel Pollock previously served as the Director, Manpower, Personnel and Services, United States Air Forces Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter, South Carolina.
Colonel Pollock was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, spent the first 17 years of his life in Australia, and graduated from Maryknoll High School, in Honolulu, Hawai’i in 1988. He joined the AFROTC program at the University of Hawai’i, graduated and received his commission in May 1993. He has served in key positions in Personnel, at the squadron, MAJCOM, and Joint Staff levels. He has served as an AFROTC instructor, squadron commander both in-garrison and deployed, and served as the Deputy Commander of a Mission Support Group both in-garrison and deployed. Colonel Pollock is married to the former Akiko Shirota of Okinawa, Japan and has two daughters, Reina (’01) and Emily (’06).
Question 1) Why would a prospective client want you to be their keynote speaker or to support their speaking event? What are some compelling aspects of your background/career/experience that we should know about?
A prospective client would want Peter and Gladius Consulting to headline or support their speaking event because of the rare combination of proven real-world leadership, global perspective, and engaging delivery. As a bestselling author and veteran commander with over 30 years of experience leading both military and corporate teams, Peter offers more than theoretical advice—he brings hard-won lessons from the front lines of leadership.
What makes Peter stand out as a keynote speaker is his ability to merge operational insight with research-based methods, making his presentations both intellectually grounded and immediately actionable. His work as adjunct faculty ensures his material is both current and academically sound, while his international experience brings a valuable cross-cultural dimension to leadership challenges. Clients consistently report measurable improvements in leadership acumen, team cohesion, and communication following his sessions. They describe him as authentic, candid, and deeply motivating, often highlighting his unique ability to blend humor, sincerity, and vulnerability to create a memorable and transformative experience. In short, Peter doesn’t just speak about leadership—he embodies it, making him a powerful and credible voice for any organization seeking to inspire and elevate their teams.
Question 2) What are your primary topics/areas of expertise? Some examples may include: Conflict resolution, International Relations, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Cybersecurity, as well as specific countries or geographical regions.
- Leadership
- Organizational Culture
- Resilience
- Communication and Influence
Question 3) What are the 2 – 4 positions you have held in your career that you would like prospective clients to know about? Please provide a brief description of each.
- Commander, 18th Force Support Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
- Largest squadron in the Air Force, 2,400 personnel, $130 million budget, 45 Activites/Flights
- Adjunct Faculty, Global College of Professional Military Education, Air University
- Facilitate and instruct students in Leadership and CommandAll students are from multiple countries and multiple services
- Students are in intermediate officer Professional Military Education
- AFCENT (US Air Force Central Command) A1, Director of Manpower, Personnel, and Services
- Oversaw all Manpower, Personnel, and Services operations in AFCENT AOR comprising of 24,000 deployed personnel
- 18th Mission Support Group Deputy Commander, Kadena AB, Japan
- Deputy Commander for largest Mission Support Group in the Air Force, 4,500 personnel, 5 squadrons (CONS, COMM, SFS, LRS, FSS
Question 4) Have you supported any speaking events recently? If so, what were the events and who were the clients?
Most recent engagements include
- American Public Works Association – Minnesota Chapter
- Kadena First Sergeants
- Kadena Top Three
- USAA Bank Compliance, Chief Risk Office, Third Party Risk Management
Question 5) Do you have any articles or publications? Have you been featured in any? If so, what were they?
- Bestselling Author (Consultant): Leadership: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Leadership Book
Question 6) Do you have any Client testimonials?
- “Peter brought a unique perspective to our organization with real-life examples backing up his leadership perspective. His ability to inject humor into his presentation along with a sincerity and humanity to his experiences was both touching and motivating.” – PE, MBA, APWA-Minnesota
- “Thank you for a very interactive, informative and engaging leadership session. We appreciate you being candid and vulnerable as you shared your personal experiences and helped us all unleash the true leader within ourselves” – Executive Director, USAA
- “Thank you for your inspirational presentation on leadership. Your stories of leadership and humanity will serve our team well to better serve our members – who deserve our best every day.” – Associate Vice President, USAA
- “This book is a must read for anyone at any level in their career… I had the honor to serve with Peter on two different assignments and I can tell you this book is genuine. His stories drive home valuable nuggets for the leadership toolbox.” – CMSgt, USAF, Retired
