Thomas W . Hartmann Thomas W . Hartmann is an American lawyer and officer in the United States Air Force Reserve . He has 32 years of criminal , commercial and civil litigation experience . Between 1983 and 1991 he was a prosecutor and defense counsel in the Air Force , including duties as Chief Air Force Prosecutor in Asia - Pacific Region . From 1991 to 1996 he was an associate at Bryan Cave LLP and at SBC Communications ( now AT & T ) . In 1996 he became Senior Counsel for Mergers & Acquisitions for SBC Communications closing multiple deals worth several billion dollars in U . S . , Europe , and South America as well as negotiating a strategic partnering agreement with a global internet service provider . From 1998 onwards he was General Counsel for SBC Communications ( 1999 – 2001 ) , Orius Corp . ( 2001 – 2004 ) and MxEnergy Inc . ( 2005 – 2007 ) in domestic and international settings . In July 2007 Brigadier General Hartmann was appointed the Legal Adviser to the Convening Authority in the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions . Private Sector Work . Mr . Hartmann has handled cases in the areas of contract disputes , civil rights , sexual and racial discrimination , interference with business relations , violation of non - compete clauses , breach of employment contracts , denial of unemployment benefits , employment rights , overtime reporting failures , construction , business defamation , and fraud . Mr . Hartmann served as a General Counsel for several medium sized enterprises ( up to $ 1B in revenue ) . He has negotiated many hundreds of business disputes in favor of his clients , shepherded a company through bankruptcy in 56 days , and overseen the effort to gain temporary restraining orders in emergencies . Mr . Hartmann has negotiated commercial transactions in the U . S . , Europe , and South America worth billions of dollars . Additionally , he has been in charge of Human Resources , Safety , Collections , Insurance , Benefits , Public Affairs , and Regulatory and has saved many millions of dollars through streamlining , cost cutting , better risk management , benefit renegotiation , and improved safety . He has worked with boards , board committees and bankers . Mr . Hartmann also has experience with arbitrations and mediations . Civil Litigator as Associate at Bryan Cave LLP and at SBC Communications . Mr . Hartmann was a civil litigator as an associate at Bryan Cave LLP and at SBC Communications ( now AT & T ) from 1991 to 1996 . During the course of his time at Bryan Cave LLP and SBC Communications ( now AT & T ) , Mr . Hartmann covered cases involving equal opportunity employment , personal injury and products liability , sexual discrimination , contract breaches and fraud , employment status and unemployment , international attachments , state wage - payment class action , government contract and bid protest disputes , as well as pension rights . During the course of these cases , Mr . Hartmann was on at least one occasion first chair at a fully litigated federal trial . He also won two prisoner - rights arguments as well as multiple favorable summary judgments before Missouri ' s Supreme Court . He also successfully led arbitration worth $ 100 million and won SBC ’ s Best Summary Judgment Brief Award . General Counsel with SBC Communications , Orius Corp . , and MxEnergy Inc . . Between 1999 and 2009 Mr . Hartmann was General Counsel with SBC Communications ( 1999 – 2001 ) , Orius Corp . ( 2001 – 2004 ) and MxEnergy Inc . ( 2005 – 2007 ) . Over the course of his career as General Counsel , Mr . Hartmann resolved several hundred critical litigation matters including workers ’ compensation , business and contract disputes , and class actions . Apart from litigation , Mr . Hartmann also led successful arbitrations and mediations on multi - million - dollar matters as well as the effort to obtain two temporary restraining orders in N . Y . federal court to end a business - halting dispute . Additionally , Mr . Hartmann drafted and negotiated thousands of business , intercreditor , security , subordination , credit and lease agreements . He also directed regulatory compliance in 12 states for collections , procurement centralization , real estate , HR , Safety , and Benefits . Air Force Roles . Mr . Hartmann served on active duty ( 1977 - 1991 & 2007 - 2009 ) and in a reserve capacity ( 1991 – 2007 ) in the United States Air Force for 32 years , retiring as a Brigadier General in December 2009 . In his early career ( 1978 – 1980 ) General Hartmann was a Security Forces Shift Commander ( 1978 – 1980 ) . In this role he oversaw leadership , training , and performance of 90 airmen for the security of nuclear weapons and initiated an antiterrorist training program . As a reservist General Hartmann held leadership positions with increasing responsibility at base , Numbered Air Force , Major Command and Air Staff levels . He helped lead a special trial advocacy training program and was recognized with the Outstanding Judge Advocate award , Headquarters , Air Force Reserve , in 1993 . General Hartmann ' s other active duty awards include : Chanute AFB Outstanding Company Grade Officer , Regional Finalist , White House Fellowship , 320 Bombardment Wing Junior Officer of the Year , Outstanding Performer , Calif . State and Sacramento AF Associations , Outstanding Young Man of America , and Honor Graduate of the Security Police Academy . Prosecutor and Defense Counsel . General Hartmann was Chief Air Force Prosecutor in the Asia - Pacific Region between 1983 and 1991 . He litigated in excess of 100 cases before judges and juries . These cases covered murder , manslaughter , rape , sexual assault , child sexual abuse , theft , drug conspiracies and alcohol - related crimes . In the course of these cases General Hartmann worked with experts in forensic pathology , oral and maxilla facial surgery , orthopedics , ophthalmology , hematology , neurosurgery , pediatric neurosurgery , neurology , drug testing , psychology , and psychiatry . Legal Adviser to the Convening Authority . Responsibilities . General Hartmann volunteered to return to active duty as Military Commissions Legal Advisor and then Director of Operations ( COO ) in 2007 . As Legal Advisor General Hartmann oversaw investigation , proof analysis , charging , and inter - governmental coordination on cases involving conspiracy , murder , and war - related crimes . As part of this role he briefed the Deputy Secretary of Defense weekly . General Hartmann also briefed Attorneys General Holder and Mukasey and other senior government leaders on the Commissions system . He reduced the contract setup time from 12 months to 1 month . General Hartmann also increased the number of cases charged from 3 to 25 and accelerated the security clearance process . He oversaw the building of sophisticated courtrooms and significantly expanded other physical facilities . Under his leadership , the staff was grown from 50 to over 250 . Dispute with Colonel Morris Davis , Senior Guantanamo Prosecutor . Colonel Morris Davis , the Guantanamo military commission ' s senior prosecutor complained that Hartmann was overstepping his authority . He has issued a statement where he wrote : The " Wall Street Journal " reported that Davis and Hartmann had clashed over which captives should face charges . Its report states that Davis had refused to charge any more captives until the dispute was resolved . Its report also stated that William J . Haynes , II , the Pentagon ' s Chief Counsel , had assigned the chief judge of the Army Court of Criminal Appeals , Brigadier General Butch Tate to conduct an inquiry into the dispute . Tate ' s report backed Hartmann . The Wall Street Journal reports : The " Wall Street Journal " speculated as to two areas the two officers ' dispute could be focussed around : The " Wall Street Journal " also quotes a source regarding General Hartmann ' s motivation to accelerate the progress of cases : On Thursday November 8 , 2007 , before Guantanamo captive Omar Khadr ' s military commission , his military defense counsel , Lieutenant Commander William Keubler revealed that he had been informed just two days earlier about an eyewitness whose testimony could help clear Khadr . Major Jeff Groharing told reporters , in the courtroom , that Hartmann had ordered him not to talk about the case . According to Jennifer Daskal , an attorney at Human Rights Watch : Disqualified from participation . Captain Keith Allred , the Presiding Officer of Salim Ahmed Hamdan ' s Military Commission , disqualified Hartmann from participating in Hamdan ' s prosecution . He ordered that Hartmann be replaced . In a pre - trial hearing for Mohammed Jawad , Hartmann defended his " intense and direct " management style . On August 14 , 2008 Colonel Stephen Henley barred Hartmann from future participation in Mohammed Jawad ' s commission . Henley had arranged for depositions to be taken from other officers at Guantanamo , including US Navy Captain Patrick M . McCarthy , who testified that Hartmann had personally berated him . The " Associated Press " reported that Jawad ' s attorney David Frakt was authorized to submit arguments directly to Susan J . Crawford , the Convening Authority , as to whether charges against Jawad were justified . Jawad ' s lawyer David Frakt and chief prosecutor Lawrence Morris both told reporters they anticipated that Hartmann ' s role in other Guantanamo commissions would be challenged . Morris stated , " We are going to have to address those in court . " The " Associated Press " reported that , in his testimony on August 13 , 2008 , Hartmann testified that he would not resign over his behavior because he believed he was doing his job properly . In his August 14 , 2008 ruling Henley wrote : Henley also noted that one of Hartmann ' s responsibilities was to review and summarize for the Convening Authority pre - trial arguments from the Defense . Jawad ' s Defense had filed pre - trial arguments , which Hartmann reviewed , and which he failed to forward and summarize for the Convening Authority . Henley noted that Hartmann failed to explain why he failed to forward or summarize the Defenses arguments for the Convening Authority . Henley anticipated that Hartmann ' s failures to perform his duties during the pre - trial period would be arguments the Defense would want to submit to the Convening Authority during the post - trial period . He stated a new Legal Advisor , one not associated with Hartmann ' s judgment calls , would have to advise the Convening Authority on how to address Hartmann ' s actions . In testimony at a pre - trial hearing for Jawad on August 20 , 2008 US Army Brigadier General Gregory Zanetti , deputy prison camps commander at Guantanamo , described Hartmann as , " abusive , bullying and unprofessional . . . pretty much across the board . " On Thursday September 4 , 2008 Colonel Patrick Parrish barred Hartmann , from participating in Omar Khadr ' s Tribunal because of his " undue command influence " . Khadr ' s Tribunal is the third that Hartmann has been barred from participating in . On September 19 , 2008 Hartmann was removed from his position as legal advisor and transferred to a position as director of operations , planning and development for the military commissions . Hartmann was replaced by his deputy Michael Chapman , who had been the deputy Legal Advisor since April 2005 . Hartmann attributed his removal , and appointment to the new position , to the : " explosive growth of the commissions over the last 10 or 12 months . " When contacted by Time Magazine for comment a spokesman for General Hartmann said he was not available for interviews and would have no comment . However Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England , the Pentagon ' s second highest official , was willing to comment , saying : On August 24 , 2009 , Carol Rosenberg , writing in the " Miami Herald " wrote about Jawad ' s case that : " " His case gained prominence when the Pentagon ' s legal advisor for military commissions , Air Force Brig . General Thomas Hartmann , found his file among those being considered for war crimes prosecution and propelled it to the top of the pile , in part because there were victims who could testify - - former , wounded reserve soldiers back in California . " " Retirement request . On 2 November 2008 Carol Rosenberg , writing in the " Miami Herald " , reported that Hartmann had filed a request to retire from the Air Force on 17 February 2008 . Hartmann ' s boss at the Pentagon , William J . Haynes , had resigned in February . Obama briefing . William Glaberson , writing in the " New York Times " reported that Hartmann had been rehearsing a briefing he hoped to make to incoming President Barack Obama aides . According to Glaberson Hartmann declined to respond to the reports of his briefing rehearsals , but he did issue a statement : Education History . Mr . Hartmann is an Honor Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy . He also holds a Master of Arts Degree from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor with High Honors from George Washington University Law School . Mr . Hartmann is a member of the Order of the Coif .