Steve Hawrylak holds three Honorable Discharges from the U.S. Air Force and Army. He enlisted in the Air Force in November 1974 before transitioning to the Army’s officer program in 1986. Throughout his military career, he served in various roles, including F-4, F-16, and KC-135 Crew Chief, Aircraft Maintenance Master Instructor, and Quality Assurance Instructor. Additionally, he worked as a civilian F-16 and C-130 Electrical Instructor, accumulating a total of 20 years of service.
Beyond his military contributions, Hawrylak taught mathematics at Vernon College, Ultrasound Diagnostic School, and Davis Technical College in the evenings. He also served as the Aircraft Program Director at Steel Center High School and spent 15 years as the lead instructor for the science and electrical departments at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. Furthermore, he worked as an instructor and Director of Education at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance for four years.
His experience extends into the aviation industry, where he worked as a mechanic and manager for Republic Airlines for seven years. In 2015, he played a key role in launching the aircraft maintenance school at Epic as a civilian contractor, later transitioning into the director role. After Hurricane Matthew destroyed the building, he returned to Epic to complete the school’s reopening and currently serves as an instructor in the maintenance program.