Colonel Hughes was commissioned through ROTC at Northwest Missouri State University in 1983. He has a B.S. in Political Science, an M.A. in Business Management from Webster University, and is a Distinguish Graduate of the National War College in Washington D.C., with a M.S. in National Strategic Studies. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the National War College.

Before being assigned as the Deputy Commanding General for Support, COL(P) Hughes served as the Executive Officer to the Secretary of the Army and the Army’s Chief of Liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives.

COL Hughes has also served as a Combat Maneuver Analyst at the Center for Army Lessons Learned, a War Planner with the United States Army Pacific Command, an Operations Officer for the Deputy Directorate for Combating Terrorism, J-34 the Joint Staff, an Operations Officer with the Army Initiatives Group and served as the Chief of Army Current Operations G-3 the Pentagon.

COL Hughes’ awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal (7 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (4 OLC), Joint Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), National Defense Service Medal (BS), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal (AH), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Valorous Unit Award, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Army Superior Unit Award, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Joint Staff Identification Badge, Army Staff Badge, and sixteen pairs of foreign Airborne Wings. He is also a published author and winner of the 2008 Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Writing Award for Excellence.

COL Hughes is married with three children.