Lt. Gen. (Ret) S. Clinton Hinote, PhD ('Clint' or 'Q'), is a strategist and futurist who helps high-stakes leaders forge the judgment to act in the crucible of complexity.
Lt. Gen. (Ret) S. Clinton Hinote, PhD (“Clint” or “Q”), is a strategist and futurist who helps high-stakes leaders forge the judgment to act in the crucible of complexity.
S Clinton Hinote Forging Method Coaching And Speaking
Lt. Gen. (Ret) S. Clinton Hinote, PhD ('Clint' or 'Q'), is a strategist and futurist who helps high-stakes leaders forge the judgment to act in the crucible of complexity
Lt. Gen. (Ret) S. Clinton Hinote, PhD (“Clint” or “Q”), is a strategist and futurist who helps high-stakes leaders forge the judgment to act in the crucible of complexity
S Clinton Hinote Professor Expert Advisor Crucible Of Complexity
S Clinton Hinote Forged So Others Can Lead Headshot
Hegseth says Iran showing 'sheer desperation' in Strait of Hormuz as oil tankers remain stuck
B.S. in Space Physics (Bachelor of Science)
Certificate in Undergraduate Pilot Training
Graduate in Fighter Weapons and Tactics (Professional Military Education)
Graduate in Military Strategy and Doctrine (Professional Military Education)
M.P.P. in Public Policy (Master of Public Policy)
Specialized in assessing and countering Chinese military capabilities, particularly A2/AD (anti-access/area denial) systems and integrated air defense networks. Developed strategies to restore U.S. competitive advantage as China achieved parity in precision-guided munitions and theater-level battle networks. Recognized that China's offset strategy in their near abroad fundamentally changed the strategic balance. Worked on concepts to counter Chinese capabilities including multi-domain swarming defense (Hellscape) for Taiwan scenarios.
Founded Hinote Strategy LLC (2023) to match emerging technology and concepts to U.S. defense needs. Principal at Pallas Advisors, strategic advisory firm specializing in defense innovation. Advocates for disruptive innovation to maintain U.S. competitive advantage. Works with defense technology companies and startups to accelerate adoption of breakthrough capabilities. Emphasizes need for 'disruptive strategy' to transform national security ecosystem and leverage America's innovation advantage against adversaries.
Defense Innovation and Emerging Technology Integration
Command pilot with over 2,000 flight hours including 240 combat hours in Operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch. Flew F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter (Bandit 567), A/T-38, and T-37 aircraft. Served as USAF Weapons School instructor, demonstrating mastery of tactical employment. Commanded at squadron, wing vice commander, and wing commander levels including 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. One of only 558 pilots ever selected to fly the F-117 stealth fighter in the highly classified program.
Extensive diplomatic experience serving as commander in NATO (Germany) and U.S. Forces Korea. Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Baghdad. Led Air Forces Central Strategy Division. Deputy Executive Director of Security Cooperation at Department of State. Managed complex alliance relationships and coordinated multi-national military operations. Experienced in connecting military capabilities with diplomatic objectives across diverse cultural and political contexts.
International Military Cooperation and Diplomacy
Key architect and champion of JADC2 concept - the integration of sensors, command and control, and weapons systems across all military domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber). Advocated for democratization of military data and decentralized command structures to enable mission command. Led implementation of concepts designed to prevent adversaries from disrupting U.S. command and control by distributing decision-making authority. Emphasized that JADC2 would make it 'almost impossible to cut the head off the snake' by enabling command from any platform.
Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2)
Coaches C-suite leaders in navigating uncertain futures and leading disruptive change. Assists organizations with structural management for adapting to China challenge. Teaches graduate-level courses on national security at RAND's Pardee School of Public Policy. Speaks on leadership principles and practice through media appearances and conferences. Focuses on growing leaders who can navigate disruption and execute transformational strategies in both government and private sector.
Leadership Coaching and Executive Development
Served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration, and Requirements (Air Force Futures) at USAF Headquarters. Responsible for developing Air Force strategy and multi-domain operating concepts, integrating through centralized design, and validating operational capabilities-based requirements. Led 400-person organization focused on planning and integration for the future Air Force. Conducted strategic assessments of the operating environment through wargames and workshops to manifest integrated future force design.
Led Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC) as Deputy Director, developing advanced efforts for design, integration and capability development across Total Force for multi-domain concepts. Pioneered thinking that moved beyond domain-specific warfare (air war, ground war, maritime war) to integrated all-domain operations. Developed concepts connecting air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains into unified operational frameworks. Emphasized that multi-domain operations are essential for future conflict success.
Led transformative change in military organizations, converting traditional Air Staff directorate into forward-looking 'Air Force Futures' organization. Commanded fighter wings in NATO (Germany) and Korea, managed complex international military relationships. Served as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Baghdad when tapped by Ambassador. Deputy Executive Director of Security Cooperation at Department of State, ensuring partnership between U.S. Military and Iraq's Security Forces. Demonstrated ability to disrupt dated doctrine and reinvent organizations for future conflicts.
Organizational Leadership and Transformation
Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. Ph.D. in Military Strategy from Air University. Graduated first in class at both U.S. Air Force Academy (B.S. in Space Physics) and Air Command and Staff College. Graduate of USAF Weapons School and School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Currently Professor of Policy Analysis at RAND School of Public Policy. Senior Advisor to Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). Extensive experience connecting military power to political objectives and national security strategy.
Served as Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense during the Third Offset Strategy (3OS) initiative. Contributed to development of strategies leveraging emerging technologies to restore U.S. military advantage over near-peer competitors. Focused on multi-domain operational concepts, anti-access/area denial countermeasures, and human-machine teaming. Recognized the Third Offset as intellectual foundation for current multi-domain defense concepts including the Hellscape defense strategy for Taiwan.
Designed and led classified wargaming efforts that revealed critical U.S. military vulnerabilities against peer adversaries, particularly China. His wargaming in 2018 demonstrated that U.S. forces were losing 18 straight competitions with peer adversaries, with outcomes worsening in each iteration. These findings led to fundamental reconsideration of Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) and multi-domain operations concepts. Developed operational concepts through iterative wargaming to test future force designs.
Graduate, Military Strategy and Doctrine (Professional Military Education)
Certificate, Undergraduate Pilot Training
M.P.P., Public Policy (Master of Public Policy)
B.S., Space Physics (Bachelor of Science)
Graduate, Fighter Weapons and Tactics (Professional Military Education)
S Clinton Hinote Speaker Advisor Strategist Photo
Student at Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB
Student at Air Force Institute of Technology
The Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare presents a software-defined warfare approach, offering recommendations for the DoD to adopt modern software practices and seamlessly integrate them into existing platforms to enhance and strengthen defense strategies.
Commissioner at Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare
S. Clinton Hinote is an operating advisor for Bessemer Venture Partners specializing in organizational reinvention and strategic leadership in defense tech.
Operating Advisor at Bessemer Venture Partners
Chief, Strategy Division at Combined Air Operations Center, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
Offers military expertise in support of the Council's David Rockefeller Studies Program—CFR's think tank—which is home to more than seventy full-time, adjunct, and visiting scholars and practitioners (called fellows). Their expertise covers the major regions and significant issues shaping today's global agenda. CFR fellows contribute to the foreign policy debate by writing books, reports, articles, op-eds, and blogs as well as by holding discussions on the most important challenges facing the United States and the world.
Military Fellow at Council on Foreign Relations
Field expert advising companies and leaders.
Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, Lt. Gen. Hinote is responsible for developing the Air Force strategy and multi-domain operating concepts, integrating through centralized design, and validating (and prioritizing) operational capabilities-based requirements to achieve national defense objectives and deliver timely and effective capability to the warfighter.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Requirements & Integration (Senior Vice President for Strategy)
Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Requirements & Integration (Senior Vice President for Strategy) at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, The Pentagon
Deputy Executive Director, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements
Deputy Executive Director, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, The Pentagon
Independent consulting focused on matching emerging technology to defense needs, organizational transformation, and executive coaching
Student at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
S. Clinton Hinote serves as Executive Chair of Federal and Defense Initiatives for LSI Technologies Inc. and assists in the development and implementation of a strategic planning framework that aligns the company's initiatives with military, defense, and government policies, ensuring consistency with federal priorities and national security goals.
Executive Chair of Federal and Defense Initiatives
Executive Chair of Federal and Defense Initiatives at LIS Technologies Inc.
Assists the Department of Defense's #2 official and chief operating officer in his leadership duties, including overseeing the department’s annual budget and its over three million civilian and military personnel; interfacing with the Congress, other government agencies, and the media; and developing long term strategies and supporting plans for the department.
Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense
Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense at Office of the Secretary of Defense
Pallas Advisors is pleased to announce that Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Clinton Hinote will be joining the firm as a Principal following his distinguished career spanning over 30 years in the United States Air Force. Sally Donnelly, a founding partner of Pallas, said Clint’s experience pushing for disruptive changes in the Air Force and wider Department writ large is exactly the type of leader we are looking for to join our Team. Hinote notes that disruption is key to the U.S. staying ahead of our adversaries; investing in future capabilities is more important than ever before. He looks forward to joining Pallas, a team that pushes emerging technology solutions into the right hands within the national security ecosystem.
Lt. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote is a professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. He served as the deputy chief of staff, Strategy, Integration, and Requirements, Headquarters, United States Air Force, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. In this role, he served as the HAF A5/7, or senior Air Force leader responsible for representing the voice of tomorrow’s Airmen. HAF A5/7, known as Air Force Futures, focuses on developing Air Force strategy and concepts, conducting strategic assessments of the operating environment through wargames and workshops, manifesting an integrated future force design, and achieving timely and effective operational capabilities required for tomorrow’s Airmen to fight and win.
Professor of Policy Analysis at RAND School of Public Policy
Student at School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB
Member of SCSP Defense Panel advising on strategic competition with China, defense policy, and emerging technology; co-authored major reports on uncrewed systems and future warfare.
Expert Advisor at Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP)
Special Assistant to the Commander at The Curtis E. Lemay Center, Maxwell AFB
Deputy Director, Directorate of Requirements (A8) for Air Combat Command, Langley AFB
Deputy Director, Directorate of Requirements (A8)
Deputy Director, Directorate of Requirements (A8) at United States Air Force, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB
Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training at United States Air Force, Columbus AFB
F-117A Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Wing Chief of Weapons, 49th Fighter Wing
F-117A Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Wing Chief of Weapons, 49th Fighter Wing at United States Air Force, Holloman AFB
Led the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, Korea, and also acted as the U.S. Forces Korea Area VI Commander. Responsible for the protection, wellbeing, and mission accomplishment of more than 3100 U.S. and Korean personnel.
Commander, 8th Fighter Wing (Vice President, Overseas Region)
Commander, 8th Fighter Wing (Vice President, Overseas Region) at United States Air Force, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
Student, F-16 Fighter Training Unit at United States Air Force, Luke AFB
Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command
Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command at United States Air Force, Randolf AFB
F-16 Flight Lead, Electronic Combat Pilot, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 20th Fighter Wing
F-16 Flight Lead, Electronic Combat Pilot, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 20th Fighter Wing at United States Air Force, Shaw AFB
Vice Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing (Assistant Vice President, Overseas Region) for Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
Vice Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing (Assistant Vice President, Overseas Region)
Vice Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing (Assistant Vice President, Overseas Region) at United States Air Force, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
Commander, 3rd Fighter Training Squadron
Commander, 3rd Fighter Training Squadron at United States Air Force, Vance AFB
Initial Cadre Member, Instructor Pilot, F-117 Division
Initial Cadre Member, Instructor Pilot, F-117 Division at United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB
As part of the U.S. Mission and U.S. Central Command, the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq conducts Security Cooperation and Security Assistance to ensure the enduring strategic partnership between the U.S. Military and the Government of Iraq's Security Forces.
Deputy Executive Director, Security Cooperation
Deputy Executive Director, Security Cooperation at U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy Baghdad
Commentary on Air Force modernization and defense policy
Served on editorial board of Air Force's flagship professional journal
Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare
Blue-ribbon commission examining DoD software acquisition modernization and software-defined warfare alongside former SecDef Mark Esper, Christine Fox, Ellen Lord, Jim Taiclet, Jack Shanahan, Gen James Cartwright and other senior defense leaders
Expert commentary on defense technology and acquisition
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Blogs
Defense in Depth blog contributor during Military Fellowship
Competitive one-year fellowship for mid-career military officers; focused on research, writing, and policy engagement on national security issues
Columnist during Council on Foreign Relations Military Fellowship
Published during CFR Military Fellowship
Published during CFR fellowship on Middle East security topics
Regular contributor on defense strategy, future warfare, and Air Force transformation
Enlightenment polymath - scientific method, practical innovation, diplomatic coalition-building. Franklin's combination of intellectual curiosity and pragmatic application exemplifies the renaissance generalist model. Relevant to Hinote's Ph.D.-holding fighter pilot profile and integration of academic rigor with operational experience.
Indirect approach and strategy of the indirect attack - achieving objectives through maneuver rather than frontal assault. Liddell Hart's critique of attrition warfare and emphasis on dislocation influenced post-WWII Western military thought. Relevant to Air Force concepts of standoff strike and avoiding adversary strengths.
Foundational military theory from On War - friction, fog of war, center of gravity, defense as stronger form of warfare, war as continuation of policy. Clausewitz's emphasis on uncertainty and adaptation under pressure underpins modern professional military education and strategic thinking including wargaming as policy tool.
Information theory and mathematical foundations of communication - signal/noise ratio, bandwidth, encoding. Shannon's work underpins modern C4ISR systems and network-centric warfare. Relevant to Hinote's emphasis on digitized command and control, meshed sensor networks, and information advantage as key to future warfare.
Strategic leadership principles - balancing guns and butter (force projection vs economic strength), coalition management across allied forces, mission-focused leadership over ego, organizational effectiveness through delegation. Eisenhower's 'Great Equation' of sustaining military readiness without economic collapse parallels Hinote's focus on sustainable force modernization and budgetary realism in great-power competition.
Mobile armored warfare and exploitation of tempo advantages - Blitzkrieg tactics in North Africa. Rommel's emphasis on speed, initiative, and leading from the front influenced mechanized warfare doctrine. Relevant to Air Force thinking on rapid mobility and exploiting fleeting windows of advantage.
Philosophical concepts of will to power and perspectivism - multiple valid interpretations of reality, importance of mental frameworks in understanding conflict. Nietzsche's critique of dogmatism and emphasis on continuous intellectual reinvention aligns with Hinote's organizational transformation philosophy and rejection of dated doctrine.
OODA Loop decision-making framework and maneuver warfare theory. Boyd's energy-maneuverability theory and emphasis on tempo/agility over raw firepower influenced modern Air Force tactical thinking. Boyd's concept of getting inside adversary decision cycles informs Hinote's wargaming methodology and emphasis on decision advantage through human-machine teaming and networked battle management.
Documented peer relationship in the innovation ecosystem per existing database entry. Both operate in the nexus of defense technology commercialization, strategic advisory work, and organizational transformation consulting. Shared professional networks in the post-retirement defense tech sector.
Renaissance polymath ideal - combining artistic vision with engineering innovation. Da Vinci's designs for war machines and fortifications demonstrate integration of creativity and technical problem-solving. Symbolic of the intellectual versatility Hinote brings to defense transformation through cross-domain thinking.
Wargaming theory and strategic planning methodology. Zenko's work on wargaming best practices and critiques of defense planning processes informs modern approaches to scenario-based force development. Relevant to Hinote's role leading Air Force Futures wargaming programs that exposed U.S. vulnerabilities against China.
Operational art and maneuver warfare - concentrated force at decisive point, interior lines, tempo of operations. Napoleon's campaigns studied in military education as exemplar of strategic initiative and exploiting adversary vulnerabilities through speed and positioning. Relevant to Hinote's advocacy for operational agility and forward defense concepts.
Direct superior-subordinate relationship as Deputy Secretary of Defense (2014-2017) during Third Offset Strategy. Hinote served as Work's Military Assistant (May 2015-Feb 2017). Work championed human-machine teaming, wargaming to identify capability gaps, and technology-enabled operational concepts - themes Hinote later amplified as leader of Air Force Futures. Work's advocacy for using wargames to drive requirements directly shaped Hinote's methodology.
Foundational strategic thought from The Art of War - knowing enemy and self, strategic deception, winning without fighting, importance of intelligence and preparation. Sun Tzu's emphasis on winning through superior positioning before battle resonates with Hinote's wargaming-driven force design and deterrence-by-denial strategy against China.
Relentless operational pressure and resource attrition against peer adversary (Confederate States). Grant's Overland Campaign demonstrated sustained offensive operations despite setbacks. His understanding of total war and applying pressure across multiple theaters informs modern thinking on multi-domain operations and imposing costs on adversaries.
A US Air Force war game shows what the service needs to hold off — or win against — China in 2030
Air Force Weaponizing Cargo Planes For All-Domain Ops: Bomb Bay In A Box
Airpower After Ukraine: The Future of Air Warfare (Today in DoD listing)
Can four big commands prepare the Air Force to win wars?
Col. Clint Hinote — Author/Contributor Page
Days from Retirement Hinote Warns That Air Force Modernization Could Come Off the Rails
Hinote Urges Defense Innovation Board to Find Incentives for Faster Technology Development
If we don't change we're going to lose — Air Force strategy chief Hinote
Iran Must Only Succeed Once to Trigger a Catastrophe
Joint Chiefs Seek A New Warfighting Paradigm After Devastating Losses In Classified Wargames
Lt. Gen. Clinton Hinote Outlines Ways to Facilitate Defense Innovation
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Clinton Hinote Joins Pallas Advisors
NFTF: Insights from Brig. Gen. S. Clinton Hinote USAF Deputy Chief Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq
Not messing around: China's rapid military advances stoke fear catch Pentagon by surprise
Replicator: An inside look at the Pentagon's ambitious drone program
The U.S. Is Not Yet Ready for the Era of 'Great Power' Conflict
Today's F-35As Not Worth Including In High-End War Games According To Air Force General
US Air Force to start new experiments with Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone
Wargame Ends Better With Trans-Domain Moves Hinote Says
Weakened by War, Iran Hits Back by Strangling a Vital Waterway
Air University (School of Advanced Air and Space Studies)
Lt. Gen. (Ret) S. Clinton Hinote, PhD ('Clint' or 'Q') is a keynote speaker, organizational strategist, and advisor to high-stakes leaders.
S. Clinton Hinote - Disruptive Strategist
Aerial Achievement Medal (United States Air Force)
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster (United States Air Force)
Air Force Commendation Medal (United States Air Force)
Air Medal (multiple awards) (United States Air Force)
Bronze Star Medal (United States Armed Forces)
Command Pilot Wings (United States Air Force)
Commander's Trophy (Air Education and Training Command)
Defense Superior Service Medal (United States Department of Defense)
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster (United States Air Force)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (United States Armed Forces)
Joint Service Commendation Medal (United States Air Force)
Legion of Merit (United States Armed Forces)
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster (United States Air Force)
Outstanding Graduate and Top Academic Graduate (Air Command and Staff College)
Outstanding Graduate, United States Air Force Academy (United States Air Force Academy)
Palm Springs Air Museum 2024 Gala Honoree (Palm Springs Air Museum)
Southwest Asia Service Medal (United States Armed Forces)
Stephen R. Lorenz Fellowship (Air University)
Top Squadron Graduate (Squadron Officer School)
USAF Weapons School Graduate Patch (USAF Weapons School)