JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
More than 350 people came to the Charleston Club Feb. 6 to congratulate and celebrate Joint Team Charleston's newest chief master sergeants.
The new chiefs are Chief Master Sergeants Jose Tamayo, 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron; Edwin Felix and Kenneth Battle, 315th Maintenance Squadron; Ray Eanes, 560th RED HORSE Squadron; Mark Bridgeman, 81st Aerial Port Squadron and Senior Master Sergeant Damian Fox, 437th Operations Group, a chief select.
Just more than 50 years ago, on Dec. 1, 1959, the first chiefs came into existence when 625 senior master sergeants received word they had been selected for promotion to chief. These 625 Airmen became known as charter chiefs.
According to retired Chief Master Sergeant James Flaschenriem, a charter chief himself, promotion to chief was very different back then. All 625 were promoted the same day; there were no line numbers. The new chiefs were called into their commander's office, given the news of promotion and sent back to work.
Eventually, many of these chiefs assumed duties formerly performed by warrant officers, explained Chief Flaschenriem. While many believe the pay grades of E-8 and E-9 were created to replace warrant officers, that was not the case. The Air Force had already begun phasing out its warrant officers, having completed the phase out of the flying sergeants.
In addition to members of Charleston's three wings, several civic leaders also attended the event. Among them was Cheryl Clark, the 437th Airlift Wing honorary commander.
"It made me realize that you have to be the best of the best at what you do to earn the right to be a chief," said Ms Clark. "It was especially nice to have the retired chiefs represented and an active part of the event. You can tell the pride they have in their incredible career accomplishment."
Julie Gerthoffer, the 628th Force Support Squadron honorary commander, agreed.
"I thought it was wonderful and loved how it was enriched with passion and tradition of the military," she said. "I also appreciated when the speaker reminded the chiefs of where they came from and to remember the new Airmen who are coming up in the ranks. I think we can forget what it was like when we first started our careers."
The Charleston Chiefs' Group, an official private organization made up of active and retired chiefs from the 628th Air Base Wing, 437 AW and 315th Airlift Wing, hosted Saturday's ceremony. The group, formed in 1987, exists to improve morale and promote the general welfare of all enlisted Air Force members assigned to Joint Base Charleston. It also provides a forum for chiefs to exchange ideas and enjoy fellowship.
To honor the new chiefs individually, the chiefs' group organized the recognition ceremony and chiefs performed all the parts. Unlike normal ceremonies where the base honor guard posts the colors and other dedicated and talented Airmen officiate, at this ceremony the color guard, saber cordon, national anthem singer, bugler and emcees were all chiefs.
"The level of effort and pride shown at the chiefs recognition ceremony outrivaled anything I've seen to date," said Col. Martha Meeker, 628 ABW commander. "It was a fantastic way to challenge our new chiefs to lead our Airmen to greater heights of accomplishment."
Also honored at the ceremony was retired Col. Norman Moore Jr., the director of maintenance with the 437th Maintenance Group. The Charleston Chiefs' Group named him "Honorary Chief Master Sergeant" for his dedication to duty and his concern about, contribution to and support of enlisted Airmen.
Following the chiefs' group bylaws, Mr. Moore was proclaimed as someone who has taken the extra step to make special contributions to the enlisted force.
The Charleston Chiefs' Group works hard every year to put on a perfect event. Not only do they wish to honor the base's newest chiefs, they also want to inspire them to greater achievements and to show them a model of service they can emulate as chiefs in the coming years.