CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF THE AIR FORCE GERALD R. MURRAY Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray represents the highest enlisted level of leadership, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public, and to those in all levels of government. He serves as the personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of the enlisted force. Chief Murray is the 14th chief master sergeant appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position. Chief Murray grew up in Boiling Springs, N.C., and entered the Air Force in October 1977. His background includes various duties in aircraft maintenance, and as a command chief master sergeant at wing, numbered air force and major command levels. His assignments include bases in Florida, South Carolina, Washington and Georgia. The chief also served overseas in Turkey and Japan, and deployed in support of operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch. Before assuming his current position, he served as Command Chief Master Sergeant, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. He was appointed to the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force on July 1, 2002. EDUCATION 1983 Tactical Air Command Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School, Shaw AFB, S.C. 1984 U.S. Air Forces in Europe Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, West Germany 1986 Associate in applied science degree in aircraft systems maintenance technology, Community College of the Air Force 1987 Associate of arts degree in liberal arts, Saint Leo College, Saint Leo, Fla. 1993 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter AFB, Ala. ASSIGNMENTS 1. October 1977 - December 1977, trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas 2. December 1977 - February 1978, student, Aircraft Maintenance Technology Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas 3. February 1978 - October 1981, aircraft crew chief, 13th Fighter Squadron, 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla. 4. October 1981 - April 1984, aircraft maintenance instructor, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C. 5. April 1984 - May 1986, senior F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief, 39th Consolidated Maintenance Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey 6. May 1986 - July 1992, aircraft production superintendent, 353rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 354th Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C. (August 1990 -March 1991, production superintendent, 354th Wing [Provisional], King Faud International Airport and King Khalid Military City, Saudi Arabia) 7. July 1992 - December 1994, Superintendent, Maintenance Flight, 354th Fighter Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash. 8. December 1994 - April 1996, Maintenance Superintendent, 70th Fighter Squadron, 347th Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (December 1995 March 1996, Maintenance Superintendent, 70th Fighter Squadron, Al Jaber AB, Kuwait) 9. April 1996 - August 1999, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 347th Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (November 1997- March 1998, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 347th Wing (Provisional) Sheikh Isa AB, Bahrain) 10. September 1999 - August 2001, Command Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan 11. August 2001 - June 2002, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii 12. July 2002 - June 2006, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1983 Honor graduate and Communicative Skills Award, Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School 1984 Distinguished graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy 1991 Air Force General Lew Allen Trophy 1993 Distinguished graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Airman April 30, 1978 Airman First Class Oct. 31, 1978 Senior Airman Oct. 1, 1979 Sergeant Oct. 1, 1980 Staff Sergeant July 1, 1981 Technical Sergeant July 1, 1984 Master Sergeant July 1, 1987 Senior Master Sergeant Feb. 1, 1992 Chief Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 1994 (Current as of June 2006)