Peter McCarthy serves as Chair of the Texas Health Freedom Coalition, the nation’s largest state level natural health advocacy organization, with over 50,000 affiliated members (www.texashealthfreedom.com).
Peter grew up in the NYC area home of two broadcast media professionals: his mother was a time buyer for NBC Radio, and his father was a well known NYC TV personality with WPIX-TV, Channel 11. He received a Congressional appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1968, graduating in 1972 with a B.S. in Engineering Mechanics and an Air Force commission as a second lieutenant.
During a twenty year Air Force career, Peter earned an M.A. in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University, served as a public affairs officer for a B-52 bomber wing, and earned distinguished graduate honors at both the Armed Forces Staff College and the Naval War College, with special recognition for his writing abilities. He also made appearances as an official Air Force representative on both radio and television.
Peter flew B-52 bombers and the T-38 supersonic jet trainer during four Air Force assignments, eventually commanding a B-52 operations support squadron. Peter also served as a staff officer at both Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon and the Air Force Personnel Center in Texas. While at the Pentagon, he served as deputy program budget manager for the multi-billion dollar Air Force Air Launched Cruise Missile program.
While at the Air Force Personnel Center, he served as a statistical analyst and the chief of the force analysis and rated force management branches, the latter formulating management policy for the Air Force’s 24,000 pilots and over 9,000 navigators. He retired from the Air Force in 1992 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He then continued his aviation career in the private sector, flying on-demand charter in Lear jets and Navajo turboprops in early 1993. He became a Captain/First Officer for Southwest Airlines in mid-1993 and served there until his retirement in 2009.
Peter holds the degree of Doctor of Traditional Naturopathy from Trinity College of Natural Health. He is a Nationally Board Certified Traditional Naturopath and a past member of the Advisory Committee of the American Naturopathic Certification Board.
His book Adrenaline Nation was published by Smart Publications in August 2012.