 In November 1925, while a student at the Air Service Tactical School at Langley Field, Virginia, he testified on behalf of airpower and a separate Air Force before the Morrow Board, appointed by President Coolidge and chaired by Dwight Morrow to offset adverse political effects of the court martial of Billy Mitchell.After graduation from ASTS, Hickam next was a student at the Command and General Staff College (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas) 1926-27, and at the Army War College (Washington, D.C.) 1927-28, as preparation for a four-year detail to the War Plans Division of the General Staff.Hickam was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 1, 1932, and given command of the 3rd Attack Group, based at Fort Crockett, Galveston, Texas.