About

Bailey Military Institute

Founded in 2001 by Aviation Hall of Fame member, General John H. Bailey II, Bailey Military Institute, BMI, is a 501(c)(3) non profit with the goal to equip the next Generation air transportation system (NextGen) of aviation professionals to design, construct, process data, develop software, assess avionics, pilot, research, and manage the air transportation system.
The vision is to establish a workforce development initiative to prepare students for careers in airport management, air traffic control and the civilian use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS – Drone) technology. Ultimately establishing a nationally recognized aviation research center.

At BMI, our mission is to promote the responsible and innovative use of drone technology for the benefit of society. We believe that drones have the potential to transform a wide range of industries and applications, and we are committed to advancing the knowledge and skills of the next generation of drone professionals. Through education, research, and collaboration, we aim to advance the safe and ethical use of drones, and to inspire and empower individuals and communities to embrace the power of this technology. We are dedicated to making a positive impact on the world and to promoting a bright future for drone technology and education.

Major General John Bailey II

Major General Bailey was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Army on 10 May 1967, upon completion of Officer Candidate School at Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland. Upon receiving his commission he was reassigned to his old unit, the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell KY. General Bailey’s overseas assignments include one tour of duty in Germany 1962-1965 and two tours of duty in Vietnam, 1967-68 and 1971-72. His first tour was as platoon leader and company commander with the 101st Airborne Division, his second tour was as an Army Fixed Wing Aviator with the First Aviation Brigade where he flew Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Search and Destroy Missions over South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. General Bailey spent the last twelve years of his military career in the Military Forces of the State of Texas where he served as the S-3 of the second Battalion 8th Brigade, Commander 8th Brigade, Deputy Commanding General for Operations and Training for the State Guard, and Commanding General of the State Guard. General Bailey’s education includes a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a Masters Degree in Education Administration and Supervision from Alcorn State University, and is a graduate of the Army’s Basic and Advanced Airborne Schools, Fixed Wing Aviators Course, Ordnance Officers Advance Course, and Command and Generals Staff College. General Bailey currently serves as a member of the Adjutant General’s Board of Retired Executives, Chairman of the Board of Unified Veterans of America, National Guard Association of Texas, and the Board of Directors of the Aviation Science Department of Texas Southern University.

Executive Director:
ATP, Dr. Charles R. Glass

To further introduce myself, I am a professional aviator and educator with a broad outlook on developing students using interdisciplinary techniques and approaches. My professional goal is to strengthen the training, planning, and designing of new methodologies that stimulate student interest in career opportunities in aviation and other related S.T.E.M. fields.

I am a creative, result-oriented professional with solid accomplishments in leadership, management, aviation, education, research, training, consulting, and audio/video productions. I am also an Eagle Scout, former Navy Officer, Eastern Airlines pilot, commercial drone pilot, and university professor. Additionally, I have received funding from the Office of Naval Research, Texas Department of Transportation, Transportation Research Board, U. S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Education to develop innovative strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate students into S.T.E.M. related careers. Over 400 individuals from our community are functioning as aviation professionals around the globe as a result of collaborations with faculty, administrators, students, and stakeholders. BMI is in a strong position to continue the 21-year legacy of General John H. Bailey II.

I have a heart to make a difference in the lives of diverse communities and will reach out to likeminded stakeholders to help us build a broad pathway to success. General Bailey will continue service to our nation as a member of the Board of Trustees of BMI.

The BMI Team and Network

Fred Lewis

has full-filled his career with 67 years of experience as a teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal, and aviation instructor for Bailey Military Institute. He is currently the Vice-President of student aviation programs and Deputy Director of Bailey Military Institute. Fred is one the founding members of the Black Pilots of America Inc. and is currently their Membership Chairman.

Tasjah Hall

is an Aviation Consultant and the CEO of Limitless Altitude, Inc. Ms. Hall currently works as a contractor with Bailey Military Institute (BMI) as an Academic Dean/Program Coordinator with emphasis on drone technology. She was previously employed as an Aviation Instructor at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas for over 16 years. Ms. Hall has over 25+ years of aviation management and operations experience to include aviation safety and security.
Ms. Hall assisted with transforming the aviation science building at TSU into a one-of-a-kind virtual airport lab during her tenure at TSU which consisted of an Air Traffic Control Laboratory (Lab); Flight Simulation Lab; Airport Management/Planning Lab; and a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.) Aviation Enrichment Academy.

Les Morris

the founder of Les Morris Summer Flight Academy, where-in collaboration with colleagues like Fred Lewis, they teach young people aviation fundamentals and skills that culminate with flight instruction and preparation for solo flight.
Les formerly served in the New York Air National Guard. He has been active in the aviation industry as an FAA Air Traffic Controller and FAA ATC instructor. He was the First African American Pilot at Eastern Airlines, Chief Pilot for Pan AM shuttle, and First President of Black Pilots of America Inc. Les has been awarded the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot, BPA Legacy Award and Black Pilots Aviation Hall of Fame

Dr. Reagan Flowers

the Chief Education Officer (CEO) for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Founder of C-STEM Teacher Student and Support Services, Inc. As CEO, she leads the SFI Lifetime of Learning Division global strategy, with global networks in North America, Chile, and Japan. Project Learning Tree reaches over 2 million PreK-12 students through approximately 12,000 educators.
Dr. Flowers has received numerous awards and recognition for her leadership and service over the years. Some notable mentions include being named a global finalist for the World Innovation Summit on Education award (2011), a STEM Access Champion of Change Recognition from the Obama White House (2014), being recognized as the Empowered Woman of the Year (2021) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2022) by the International Association of Top Professionals.

Edward Martin Payne

former Executive Director of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) WI Chapter. He later became a National Board member and Director of International Affairs with NAMC Washington Office. Under the Clinton Administration Martin led a delegation of U.S. Construction Experts on a two-week fact-finding and assessment visit to Tanzania. FHWA, in cooperation with Tanzania’s Ministry of Works, was instrumental in establishing a Technology Transfer Center located at the University of Dar es Salaam to disseminate information of road technology and to build local contractor capacity. Martin is the Founder and CEO of WORLD Life International (WLI) which is an international trading company specializing in goods and services that increase the quality of life. Examples are solar energy products for food preparation and other photovoltaic systems.

Calvin Brown

an Air Traffic Control specialist in the Houston office Route Traffic Control Center. He has 29 years of experience in air traffic route control. He is a member of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees. Calvin’s experience in air traffic control operations will be instrumental for shaping instructional systems.

Jerlysha “Lysha” Williams

an Air Traffic Controller with eight years of Experience at BWI Airport, in Maryland. She is passionate about recruiting young African Americans into the aviation industry. Her experience is invaluable for incorporating the latest technologies in flight management and operations into infrastructure development.

Shern Peters

the Founder and Chief Engineer of RIVÍR Inc. and a technical advisor for BMI on technology and engineering. He possesses deep expertise in ideation, planning, full stack development and execution. His experience includes leading diverse teams on award winning projects for Fortune 500 companies.

Harold Mullins Jr.

the President and CEO of Riverside Media, a Houston-based video production company. As a FAA 107 Certified pilot, and a Certified Drone Pilot Flight Instructor, Harold is heavily invested in utilizing new technologies and the capabilities of Unmanned Aerial Systems for commercial services. Harold supports BMI’s STEM and K-12 outreach programs. His experiences in audio and visual imagery have allowed him to work across the world in Africa, Europe and Central America. Harold also possesses foundational experience in computing storage systems.

Mike Hiner

the managing partner for TJFM Energy, and a project manager for Bailey Military Institute. His efforts at BMI are focused on team development of STEM educational goals and curriculum. With over 40 years of technical and management experience in the oil and gas industry Mike is experienced with the responsibilities of managing complex technical budgets that span business, engineering, and geotechnical disciplines.
Mike’s technical background in geology, geophysics brings insight to the organization on environmental and regulatory issues. Mike is also a Life Member of the Commemorative Air Force where he works on business sponsorships, and ground support activities for the Wings Over Houston Air Show.

Charles Holmes

an artist and holds a Master of Fine Arts from the State University at Albany, New York. Since 1980 he has been teaching Studio Art and Art History to children in public schools and the Houston Community College system. Charles is the Site Manager for BMI, and a member of its Board of Directors. In these times of explosive technology development his wisdom and oversight have been proven invaluable to keeping our curriculum development grounded in principles that challenge all of us to dig deeper into our efforts to teach, educate, and learn.

Kelvin Crumby

an accomplished tax professional currently serving as the Assistant Tax Director for a prominent international conglomerate specializing in construction, engineering, military housing, rail, and investment services. With a wealth of experience in diverse domestic and international tax projects, He is a seasoned expert in navigating the complexities of the financial landscape.
Kelvin’s journey in finance spans two decades, during which he contributed his skills to both governmental and private sector entities. Notably, Mr. Crumby’s professional journey began with an illustrious eight-year tenure as a United States Marine, where he served with honor and dedication.

Jeffery Evans

a business owner, and a community volunteer for many organizations (BDD, BMI, The Unity One Movement (Drone Pilot Academy, etc). He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. Minor in Business Management and Nuclear Engineering from University of Texas at Austin and his Master of Business Administration Degree, MBA from Texas Southern University. Jeffery is currently volunteering as a Drone Pilot Instructor, Mentor and Educator of Aviation/ S.T.E.M. “I believe that drones have the potential to transform a wide range of industries and applications, and we are committed to advancing the knowledge and skills of the next generation of drone professionals.”
I truly believe this quote from BMI website, “Through education, research, and collaboration, we aim to advance the safe and ethical use of drones, and to inspire and empower individuals and communities to embrace the power of this technology.’

Sam Tanksley

a retired, career architect and government employee for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where worked for forty years. His major projects included the new Space Station Mission Control Center; 28M two-story human health and performance facility for astronauts and a $15M three-story office complex. He is passionate about the development of design and construction, and maintenance projects while coordinating, planning and execution of concepts with customers to meet schedule and budget.

Jerone B. Young

a marketing specialist and the Chief of Staff for BMI. During his years of service, he worked in corporate sales and marketing for Southwestern Bell, Kraft Foods and Sysco, and the automotive industry where he worked as an international marketing and advertising manager. As Chief of Staff, Jerone is instrumental in coordinating project outreach, and marketing plans.

Bennie Smith

a dedicated entrepreneur and seasoned professional in the building and remodeling industry. With a strong work ethic instilled from a young age and a commitment to integrity and faith, he has successfully run his own business, Professional Drywall LLC, since 1999. Bennie’s leadership, experience, and unwavering values make him a standout in both his personal and professional life.

Robert Prather

an electrical engineer, author and entrepreneur. He is a native Houstonian and a proud graduate of Prairie View A & M University. Robert is the founder and CEO of Cymphoni Solutions, an engineering company that designs innovative solutions for flight simulation and training. Prather invented a wiring technique known as Keyboard Hacking, which gained him worldwide notoriety as one of the earliest known interfaces for rejuvenating old airplane parts and turning them into flight simulators. He has been featured in top periodicals such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Houston Chronicle for his innovative creations, which have been adopted by users in over 20 countries. His virtual airport technology is in use in major aviation organizations such as NASA and the United States Air Force. Robert is the creator of Cereal Bytes, a product that reduces the cost and complexity of creating flight training devices. He is also a proud husband, father of two beautiful children, and a published author.

Robert Gilpin

a Director of Operations for UT Health with over 20 years of experience in healthcare. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, has a Master of Business Administration, and is a former member of the Texas state Guard. He is also an avid commercial drone pilot, is working on his private pilot license, and enjoys flight sims.

Adrienne Gilpin

a Master of Business in Finance and is a Sr. Financial Analyst at Texas Children’s Hospital with over 20 years’ experience in Finance and Healthcare. She is a former member of the Texas State Guard. When she’s not hiking and camping with her family, she is flying drones.

Darrizett Moore

a Certified Business Development Professional with an extensive track record of developing, building, and growing client sales revenues and channel partnerships. She began her Information Technology (IT) Career with IBM, responsible for marketing and installing Distributed Systems to small and mid-sized companies. Additionally, she was tasked with managing Business Partners in local and regional markets. As a business owner, she managed account growth and initiated business partner channel programs for multiple clients. Darrizett is a native Houstonian who graduated from Jack Yates High School. She is a graduate of Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia) with a BA in Economics, as well as a graduate of the University of Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin) with an MBA in Marketing. Throughout her career she has worked with several entities to enhance the business professional development of youth in the Houston area including Junior Achievement and Higher Houston Youth (HHY), part of the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Education. Darrizett is very interested in assisting BMI accomplish its mission to promote the responsible and innovative use of drone technology for the benefit of society.

Tiffany Simon

holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Grambling State University and currently serves as the Program Director for C-STEM. With over 15 years of experience in education, she has taught a diverse range of subjects, including Biology, Physics, Pre-AP Geometry, Environmental Systems, and Math Models. Tiffany has also served as the District Lead Teacher for C-STEM in North Forest ISD and currently teaches VEX Robotics to students from kindergarten to 8th grade. Tiffany received her AP Biology Certification from Rice University and has participated in several symposiums with the Rice University Office of STEM Engagement. Tiffany received recognition as the 2024 Texas Black Expo Excellence in Education Honoree for Outstanding Teacher.

Deydra Steans

the granddaughter of South Texas sharecroppers and cowboys; a licensed Texas educator and Minority Landowner Magazine’s 2023 Farmer of the Year. Deydra is the brain behind a global agri-business consortium, The Greater Good Global Consortium, a closed loop economic development enterprise with national and global interest in sustainability that drives resilience. Her agency, Black Gold Resourcing, LLC provides a concierge-style USDA program enrollment & management for Historically Underserved farmers and ranchers, while being a highly sought after entity for federal program implementation, outreach & technical assistance. Deydra is also a strategic partner of STARS-ATG, an Alabama-based team of solutions architects who develop alternative and innovative funding strategies that support community & economic development using a non-threatening, collaborative approach. Deydra is the proud parent of Leah (17) and Cassius (9). She lives and works with her Dad to manage their 220 acre livestock operation in Caldwell County, Texas (near Austin).

Click Here to Visit Bailey Military Institute’s Past Programs & Initiatives