Team Edwards recognizes newest chiefs

Aviation milestones aren’t the only accomplishments that are recognized at Edwards. On March 9, Team Edwards and its leaders gathered together to recognize its newest chief master sergeants during a chief recognition ceremony at Stripes Lounge in the Oasis Community Center.

The ceremony celebrated the leadership potential of the base’s most recent chief selects and recognized the achievement of these senior non-commissioned officers in reaching the highest enlisted rank.

Command Chief Master Sergeant for Air University, Command Chief Master Sgt. Lonnie Slater, was the guest speaker at the ceremony and spoke on what this new responsibility meant for the new chiefs.

“Congratulations to all the chiefs. Job well done and well deserved,” said Slater. “Chiefs, in a sense, you have arrived, because out of 262-thousand enlisted people, you are now part of that one percent. The question you must ask yourself now not only becomes what do I do now that I have arrived, but what do I do with this stripe now that I have it, what do I do now that I am no longer striving to become chief and what kind of impression do I leave on others? As chiefs, these are the questions you will have to continue to ask and you’ll have to remember that you cannot pass on your responsibilities now, you must meet them head on.”

During the ceremony, one Airman from each rank, E-1 through E-9, adhered a single stripe to a chief master sergeant rank to symbolize the progression through the ranks. In addition, leaders from the 412th Test Wing and tenant organizations congratulated the nine chiefs.

Col. Gregory Schwab, 95th Air Base Wing commander, concluded the ceremony by saying, “There are many characteristics that quantify what a great chief should represent. Every time I had to uphold the values of the Air Force, those chiefs were by my side. My challenge to you tonight is to continue leading the way. Be those great chiefs and follow in that great heritage.”