Photo By Master Sgt. Joseph Harwood | Ohio Air National Guard Chief Master Sergeants pose together on the shore of Lake Erie...... read more read more
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CAMP PERRY, Ohio- Command Chief Master Sgt. Troy R. Taylor, State Command Chief, Ohio Air National Guard, hosted the ‘Chief’s Huddle’ Aug. 20-22, 2024, at the Camp Perry Conference Center, Port Clinton, Ohio. The annual event invites all Chief Master Sergeants from across the state to network, share ideas, tackle issues, and improve processes to better serve the enlisted force across the state.
As the State Command Chief, Taylor said he hosts this event to improve the overall readiness of the entire enlisted force.
“When we put 92 Chiefs in a room, we get answers. We start to dig through the strategic outlook into the operational realm. Getting all of their perspectives helps me lead up as a State Command Chief.” Taylor said, “We talked about the challenges our modern Air Force faces and how we are going to help our Airmen become the next generation of Chiefs. We touched on areas where we need flexibility and areas where we need to uphold the standards.”
Taylor said the Chief’s Huddle serves several purposes, but one of the most important in his opinion is to successfully execute the goals of our Ohio National Guard senior leadership.
“Ohio is a big state in the Air National Guard, with four wings in the state and 90 plus Chiefs.” Taylor said, “That’s the power of this gathering, to come together and maximize those connections. Move the meter for the Ohio National Guard, The Air National Guard and the United States Air Force.”
This year included special guest speakers, including Chief Master Sgt. Jessica Settle, Command Chief Master Sergeant for the Missouri Air National Guard.
There was also a briefing from agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, some with military backgrounds in the Ohio National Guard themselves. The agents discussed how further interagency cooperation can help thwart foreign interference in our national security interests and also the importance of interagency communication with domestic operations.
“As state command chiefs, we have a chance to sit on many national steering committees and make connections. Not every state has had the leadership to back an event like this.” Taylor said, “I can assure you that there is a return on investment in this. We’re building strategic leaders and they are making strategic connections here.”
Chief Settle spoke of how important it is for each of them to ‘find their why’ and reminded them to be intentional with their time that they have to serve as a Chief.
Taylor said it’s also important to him that they take the time to recognize their people.
“The recognition dinner is also a big part of what we do.” Taylor said, “It’s a tradition in the United States Air Force to give a hail and farewell to our retiring Chief’s and welcome those who have recently joined our ranks.”
Several Chiefs who will be retiring this year were recognized from each of the units, one of them being a Command Chief Master Sergeant.
Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Baumert, Command Chief of the 180th Fighter Wing, was the most senior of the Chiefs in the room. Enlisting into Active Duty Air Force in March, 1986, in Aerospace Ground Equipment and later joining the Ohio Air National Guard at the 180th FW in 1993, where he promoted to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in 2011. In January 2025, Chief Baumert will retire with nearly four decades of service.
“The networking being done at events like this is incredible. Throughout my career as an enlisted member at the 180th Fighter Wing, I didn’t put a lot of thought into the other wings around the state. It’s easy to get caught up in the mission of your section and your unit alone, for me I thought about Maintenance Group, only.” Baumert said, "When groups come together from around the state and share their perspectives, ideas, and connections it has a very positive impact in how we get each mission done back at those wings.”
Baumert spoke of how much he developed over the years since initially becoming a Chief in 2011. “When I first put Chief on, I thought it meant I had done a good job in Maintenance. I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be a Chief. I’ve since learned that it's a responsibility to be the voice of the entire enlisted force you’re representing. It comes with a seat at the table with the command staff. They want to know your opinion, it matters to them. It’s been the most rewarding thing for me to speak on behalf of all the enlisted.”
The newest Chief in the room was Chief Master Sgt. Tabitha Bennett, 178th Operation Support Squadron, Springfield, Ohio. Bennett has been in the military for 23 years and promoted on July 1, 2024.
“If I were to give advice to airmen who aspire to become a Chief someday, I’d say the thing that helped me the most was to seek out diverse experiences. I’ve been a member of three AFSC’s [Air Force Specialty Codes] and four different states, so that’s given me a very broad perspective.” Bennet said, “That was the road I walked. I was never afraid to cross train or even move to take opportunities in other states or other units. I understand that can be very difficult in the Guard because we are comfortable with the unit that’s maybe near where we grew up or we have relatives nearby but I found that gaining those experiences has lended itself to my growth and development today.”
As the annual gathering came to a close, the Chiefs attending the Huddle hope to take what they’ve gained from one another and apply it to missions this year and many years to come.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2024 17:26 |
| Story ID: | 479693 |
| Location: | MANSFIELD, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 493 |
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