Reese Hays is the General Counsel for Freeman Holdings Group. Reese obtained his law degree from Washburn School of Law in Topeka, Kansas, and is a member of the Bar for the State of Kansas, United States District Court of Kansas, Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.
Upon attaining his law degree and admission to the Kansas Bar, Reese was selected to become a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force. Reese’s first duty assignment was to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where he served as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate. While stationed there, he was selected for a prestigious one-year deployment to Joint Task Force 134, Bagdad, Iraq, where he mentored Iraqi Investigative Judges and Iraqi Trial judges in the prosecution of terrorists within the Iraqi Criminal Justice System. Additionally, while in Iraq, Reese stood up and oversaw a new unit that was given the responsibility of ensuring actionable evidence was obtained to garner the successful prosecution of the most dangerous terrorists detained by the Coalition Forces within the Iraqi criminal justice system. When Reese returned from his deployment in Iraq, he was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where he was appointed as the Area Defense Counsel. As the Area Defense Counsel he represented Airmen stationed at Offutt AFB who had been accused of criminal and/or administrative actions.
In 2011, Reese transferred from Active Duty with the Air Force into the Kansas Air National Guard. Since that time, he has been assigned as a Judge Advocate to the 190th Air Refueling Wing Staff Judge Advocate’s office. In that position, he is responsible to provide legal advice to the commanders of the 190th Air Refueling Wing and their subordinates. Reese currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. While a Kansas Air National Guardsman, Reese has been performed several extended periods of active duty to include a deployment to 1st Air Force (Air Forces North) and Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, as an activated Title 10 Air National Guardsman in support of Operation Nobel Eagle and Continental U.S. NORAD Region.
During Reese’s military career he has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with the First Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with the First Oak Leaf Cluster, Navy Achievement Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
In addition to Reese’s military service, Reese has held several supervisory attorney positions during the eight years he spent as attorney for the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. As an attorney for the Board, he was responsible for supervising and serving as lead counsel in the effective prosecution of all licensing actions taken against healthcarelicensees who are regulated by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts.