Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. The holder of this rank and post represents the highest enlisted level of leadership in the Air Force, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests,...

 Gary R. Pfingston was the tenth Chief Master Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant

CMSgt ChevronChief Master Sergeant is the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Master Sergeant, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The official term of address is "Chief Master Sergeant" or "Chief".Attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant is the...

 appointed to the highest Non-commissioned officer

Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...

 position in the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

.

Chief Pfingston was born in Evansville

Evansville, Indiana

Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 on January 2, 1940. In California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, he graduated from Torrance High School in 1958 and attended El Camino College

El Camino College

El Camino College is a two-year public community college located partially in the unincorporated area of Alondra Park and partially in the City of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is commonly referred to as "Elco" or "ECC"...

 from 1958 through 1961. He entered the Air Force in February 1962. Chief Pfingston spent his early years as a B-52 crew chief at Castle AFB, Calif from 1962 to 1968 and then worked on B-52s and KC-135s at Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y. from 1968 to 1972. After serving in Thailand at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Base for a year between 1972 and 1973, he became a military training instructor at Lackland AFB in 1973. In 1979 he became commandant of the Military Training Instructor School.He became a first sergeant in 1982 and then between 1984 and 1990 he was a senior enlisted advisor at George AFB, California; Bergstrom AFB, Texas; and Pacific Air Forces Headquarters, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

On August 1, 1990 he became CMSAF. Chief Pfingston’s focus during his tenure was tackling the Air Force’s drawdown and budget. After basic allowance for substance issues arose during increased deployments surrounding Gulf War I, he worked to continue BAS for Airmen living in field conditions and toward increasing Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance amounts. His toughest challenge was Air Force downsizing. With a goal of avoiding involuntary separations during the on-going force drawdown, he worked to get the Voluntary Separation Incentive and Special Separation Bonus programs established. He retired October 25, 1994. He died of cancer 23 June 2007.

Awards and Decorations

	Master Maintenance Badge
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force...
	Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
	Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United States) The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...  with three bronze oak leaf clusters Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
	Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Achievement Medal Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service...
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Outstanding Unit Award The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1954. The award is presented as a ribbon to any command of the U.S...  with Valor device Valor device The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...  and silver oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Good Conduct Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
	National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...  with service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
	Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
	Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Longevity Service Award Air Force Longevity Service Award The Air Force Longevity Service Award is a military award of the United States Air Force which was first issued in 1957 by order of General Thomas D. White, Air Force Chief of Staff...  with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
	NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon Non-Commissioned Officer Development Ribbon A Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon is an award issued by the United States Army and Air Force to recognize those non-commissioned officers who have completed a prescribed leadership course at an NCO training school.-Army:...  with two oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Marksmanship Ribbon A Marksmanship Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard that is issued to service members who pass a weapons qualification course and achieve an above-average score.-Navy:...
	Air Force Training Ribbon Air Force Training Ribbon The Air Force Training Ribbon is the lowest military award of the United States Air Force, ranking only above foreign military awards.The Air Force Training Ribbon was authorized by the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force on October 12, 1980. It is awarded to U.S. Air Force service members on completion...
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Award
	Vietnam Campaign Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal The Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam, , to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of Vietnam military operations.Established in 1966, the decoration is...

Succession