Hangin’ Out with . . . Marie Harnly, MPA ’20
After graduating from the Kennedy School, U.S. Air Force Major Marie Harnly was assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. She interned with our club last summer and was the driving force behind our strategic planning and implementation. We caught up with her before she departs in June for her next posting in Turkey.
First things first. Which one inspires you more: Gen. Buck Turgidson, George C. Scott’s character in Dr. Strangelove, or Gen. James Mattoon Scott, Burt Lancaster’s character in Seven Days in May?
Actually, neither—it’s Hannibal “Iowa” Lee, Laurence Fishburne’s character in The Tuskegee Airmen. The story takes place close to where I’ve lived this past year, and it’s about a group that initially didn’t have a chance to contribute by serving as combat pilots. Without the persistence of Hannibal Lee and others like him, I as a female would not have been able to make a similar contribution in the armed services. I was also inspired by the courage of people in the air corps during WWII. Back then the fatality rate was so high that very few airmen survived more than five combat missions.
What has your year at Maxwell involved?
I’ve been at the School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, where the focus is on developing military strategists. I’ve been learning about strategic thinking, how to operate in uncertain situations, and how to identify key indicators, as well as how to improve my problem-solving skills and my ability to communicate with people who don’t have a military background.
What will your responsibilities be next year in Turkey? And will it be a dicey assignment, given that all U.S. combat forces will be removed from Afghanistan by September?
Incirlik Air Base, where I’ve been assigned, is located in Adana, in the south-central part of the country. It’s a four-hour flight to Kabul, so I don’t think we’ll be directly affected by the changes in Afghanistan. The base is shared by the U.S. Air Force and the Turkish Air Force, and its focus is on NATO and Europe. As for what I’ll be doing there, my background is in mechanical engineering; for most of my time in the Air Force I’ve been involved in facility administration and construction. As commander of the base in Turkey, I’ll be the person interacting with the various partners involved in the base’s operation.
I assume that picking up the Turkish language will be easier than learning how to decipher the Alabama accent has been. 
Fortunately, I’ll have a translator.
What will you miss most about Alabama?
Aside from the cornbread and red velvet cake, you mean? Seriously, I’ll miss the sense of community and the friendliness and Southern charm of so many people I’ve met. In addition, with all that’s been going on in the country this past year, I’m grateful for the exposure to Alabama’s history.
You’ve played a key role this past year in helping the Harvard Club of Alabama prioritize its goals and go about achieving them. What parting thoughts or advice do you have for us?
It’s been so phenomenal to work with the individuals in the club—it’s such a phenomenal community, and everyone is so amazing in their own right. I was proud to be a part of all that. A lot of the goals have been accomplished—and some exceeded—in only 9 months. I’ve also been impressed by the collaboration with other Harvard clubs, and the way that we can all get better together.
You know, down here we dare defend our club’s interviewers. (Fortunately, there’s no transfer portal.) Promise you won’t let the Harvard Club of Turkey poach you when interviewing season rolls around this fall—PLEASE?
Of course! It will be a pleasure and a joy to continue interviewing applicants from Alabama.