Robert Edward Hildner

Robert E. Hildner Air Force Colonel Robert E. Hildner, an Air Force Colonel and Vietnam veteran, passed away on June 20, 2012 at the age of 75. He died from complications following surgery at Georgetown University Hospital. Col. Hildner was born in the Bronx, NY and graduated from Fordham University in 1959 where he was commissioned in the Regular Air Force through the ROTC program. He spent virtually his entire military career as a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) beginning as a “street agent” and progressing through a number of increasingly responsible command and staff assignments, ultimately serving as the AFOSI vice commander from 1980 to 1986. His final active duty assignment was as military assistant in the Office of the Department of Defense Inspector General. Col. Hildner’s overseas assignments included Tokyo, Japan; DaNang, Vietnam; Grenada, and Rome, Italy. His decorations included three awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and two awards each of the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Education played an important role in Col. Hildner’s life and career. He received a master’s degree in management from the University of Colorado under the auspices of the Air Force Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in political science from Auburn University. Col. Hildner was also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. Subsequent to his retirement from active duty, Col. Hildner joined the Fairfax Group, an international security and investigative firm, beginning as a senior consultant and rising to the position of senior managing director, where he conducted and directed a wide variety of security projects and white collar crime investigations around the world. He retired from Decisions Strategies, the successor of the Fairfax Group, in 2001 and formed his own security and investigative firm, Phoenix Associates. Col. Hildner was a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police where he played a major role in expanding that organization’s international activities as a member of its Advisory Committee on International Policy; the American Society for Industrial Security; the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; the Air Force Association; the Military Officers Association of America and the Association of Former OSI Special Agents. He was a charter member of St Mary of Sorrows Council of the Knights of Columbus and served as the president of the Fordham University Club of Washington, DC. As a result of his distinguished military career, Col. Hildner was inducted into the New York City ROTC Hall of Fame in February 2008. Col. Hildner is survived by his wife of 52 years, Susan, one son, Steven Hildner of Fairfax, a daughter Elizabeth Edwards of Port Tobacco, Maryland, five grandchildren and one great grandchild. He is also survived by his brother, Thomas Hildner of Short Hills, New Jersey and was predeceased by his son Brig. Gen. Terence J. Hildner. Services will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Fisher House.