They call Ken Hackman “The Godfather” of US Air Force Visual Information (VI). Part of that title comes from his founding of the m program in 1971 and shaping it into what it is today. Part of the title comes from his own extensive portfolio of excellence to include covering the Vietnam War, summer Olympic games at Montreal, Los Angeles, Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta, portraits of Chuck Yeager, official photographs of presidential aircraft and most Air Force inventory aircraft from the past 30 years. But, most of this enduring title comes from his ability to mentor and shape young photographers, and give them the training and expertise they need to be successful. His love of photography since age 11 eventually propelled the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native into an Air Force photography career at age 17.
Assigned to Yokota, Japan, he traveled the Far East working for a reconnaissance unit with the Air Photographic and Charting Service. He got out after his first enlistment, and then worked numerous VI positions as a civil service member. He spent much of his civil service career assigned to the 1352nd Audiovisual Squadron at Norton AFB, CA and the 2nd Combat Camera Squadron at March AFB, CA where he retired. He still mentors, coaches, judges, teaches, critiques and advises Air Force photojournalists and Combat Camera photographers.