Chief Master Sergeant SHERRY L. WILLARD

Chief Master Sergeant Sherry L. Willard is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 190th Air Refueling Wing, Forbes Field, Topeka, Kansas. She is the Wing’s senior enlisted leader and principal advisor to the commander on matters affecting the health, morale, welfare, readiness, professional development and effective utilization of more than 800 enlisted Airmen.

 

The Wing operates and maintains a fleet of 12 KC-135R aircraft that provide expeditious global mobility airpower and deploys expeditionary forces in support of worldwide conflict, contingency and humanitarian operations while maintaining a nuclear deterrence tasking. The Wing also supports the State of Kansas and the United States of America during natural disasters and provides a domestic operations emergency response.


Chief Willard entered the Kansas Air National Guard in 1995 and served as a flight medicine specialist. She participated in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During this operation, Chief Willard served as an aerospace medicine specialist in Balad, Iraq caring for wounded American service men, women, foreign nationals, Iraqi citizens and police. Additionally, she participated and planned a humanitarian mission to El Salvador providing much needed medical attention to several thousand citizens. She served as the 190th Medical Group nursing superintendent for three years and was instrumental in obtaining a training support agreement with Kansas University Trauma Hospital providing necessary training to over 30 members of the Medical Group. After 19 years in the Medical career field, Chief Willard transitioned to the Personnel career field in the Kansas Joint Forces HQ, Human Resources Office where she oversaw all matters concerning full-time federal technician manning for over 1700 Kansas Army and Air National Guardsmen. In 2018 she was appointed to the role of group superintendent of the 184th Regional Support Group at McConnell AFB and was responsible for the men and women of the 134th Air Control SQ, 284th ASOS and Det 1 Smoky Hill bombing range. In 2019 she was selected as the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group Superintendent, advising the Commander on issues involving the enlisted force and mission critical issues for the 374 person Group.


EDUCATION
2000 Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Military Course, Non-Residence
2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, McGheeTyson, ANG, Tenn.
2008 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Community College of the Air Force degree, Allied Health Sciences
2016 Community College of the Air Force degree, Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration

 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1995-September 2003, Flight Medicine Specialist, 190th Medical SQ, Forbes Field ANG, Topeka, Kan.
2. September 2003–May 2009, Aerospace Medical Spec. 190th Medical Group, Forbes Field ANG, Topeka, Kan.
3. May 2009-January 2015, Nursing Superintendent, 190th Medical Group, Forbes Field ANG, Topeka, Kan.
4. January 2015-May 2018, Human Resources Specialist, Joint Force Headquarters, Topeka, Kan.
5. May 2018–June 2019, Group Superintendent, 184th Regional Support Group, Wichita, Kan.
6. June 2019-December 2019, Group Superintendent, 184th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group,Wichita, Kan
7. December 2019-Present, Wing Command Chief, 190th Air Refueling Wing, Forbes Field ANG, Topeka, Kan.

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Medal with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Iraqi Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two oak leaf clusters

 

STATE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Kansas Outstanding Army/Air Guardsman Medal
Kansas Emergency Service Ribbon
Kansas National Guard Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Kansas National Guard Achievement Ribbon with one oak leaf cluster

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Enlisted Association of the National Guard, Life Member

 

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 Noncommissioned Office of the Quarter
2002 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2003 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, State of Kansas
2006 Military Person of the Year, Topeka Kan.
2007 YWCA Women of the Excellence Award
2015 Distinguished Graduate, USAF Personnel Apprentice School

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant, 20 January 2016

 

(Current as of March 2020)