Rodney J. McKinley
Encyclopedia
Rodney J. McKinley was the 15th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
who served a total of 30 combined years in the United States Air Force
.
level of leadership, and as such, provided direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American
public, and to those in all levels of government. He served as the personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of the enlisted force. McKinley was the 15th Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest non-commissioned officer
position.
and Command Chief Master Sergeant
at wing, numbered air force and major command levels. His assignments include bases in North Carolina
, South Carolina
, Oklahoma
, Virginia
, Alaska
and Hawaii
. He also served overseas in the Philippines
, Italy
and Germany
, and deployed to Southwest Asia
in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Before assuming his CMSAF position, he served as Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. He was appointed to the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force on June 30, 2006. McKinley would retire from this position in June 2009, after serving in the United States Air Force for over 30 years. Since then, he has joined MicroTech, a private information technology services company, as senior vice president for strategic partnerships
.
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,...
who served a total of 30 combined years 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...
.
Overview
McKinley represented the highest enlistedEnlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
level of leadership, and as such, provided direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
public, and to those in all levels of government. He served as the personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of the enlisted force. McKinley was the 15th Chief Master Sergeant 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.
Career
McKinley grew up in Mt. Orab, Ohio. He originally entered the Air Force in 1974, took a break in service in 1977 to attend college, and re-entered the Air Force in 1982. His background includes various duties in medical and aircraft maintenance, and as a first sergeantFirst Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
and Command 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...
at wing, numbered air force and major command levels. His assignments include bases in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He also served overseas in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and deployed to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Before assuming his CMSAF position, he served as Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. He was appointed to the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force on June 30, 2006. McKinley would retire from this position in June 2009, after serving in the United States Air Force for over 30 years. Since then, he has joined MicroTech, a private information technology services company, as senior vice president for strategic partnerships
Strategic partnership
A strategic partnership is a formal alliance between two commercial enterprises, usually formalized by one or more business contracts but falls short of forming a legal partnership or, agency, or corporate affiliate relationship....
.
Education
- 1984 Tactical Air Command NCO Leadership School, Myrtle Beach AFB, SC
- 1986 Associate of Arts degree, Saint Leo CollegeSaint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic liberal arts university established in 1889 and located in Saint Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa. The University is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery...
, Saint Leo, FL - 1986 Associate of Applied Science degree in aircraft maintenance technology, Community College of the Air ForceCommunity College of the Air ForceThe Community College of the Air Force is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force which grants two year Associate of Applied Science degrees in association with Air University....
- 1986 Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in human resources management, Saint Leo College, Saint Leo, FL - 1987 Tactical Air Command NCO Academy, Tyndall AFB, FL
- 1991 USAF First Sergeant Academy, Keesler AFB, MS
- 1997 USAF Senior NCO Academy, Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, AL - 1998 Associate of Applied Science degree in personnel management, Community College of the Air Force
- 1999 Master of Human Relations degree, University of OklahomaUniversity of OklahomaThe University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, Norman, OK - 2004 USAF Senior Leadership Course, Center for Creative Leadership, San Diego, CA
- 2004 USAF Senior Leadership Course, Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg CollegeGettysburg College is a private four-year liberal arts college founded in 1832, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the famous battlefield. Its athletic teams are nicknamed the Bullets. Gettysburg College has about 2,700 students, with roughly equal numbers of men and women...
, PA - 2006 Keystone Course, National Defense UniversityNational Defense UniversityThe National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
, Suffolk, VA - 2007 Air Force Enterprise Management Seminar, University of North CarolinaUniversity of North CarolinaChartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, Chapel Hill, NC
Assignments
- July 1974 - August 1974, student, basic military trainingUnited States Air Force Basic Military TrainingUnited States Air Force Basic Military Training is an eight and a half week rigorous program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become an Airman in the United States Air Force, United States Air Force Reserve, or Air National Guard. It is carried out at...
, Lackland AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... - August 1974 - November 1974, medical service specialist technical training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
- November 1974 - August 1977, emergency room technician, Seymour Johnson AFB, NCNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
- August 1977 - April 1982, separated from the Air Force
- April 1982 - June 1982, aircraft maintenance technology technical training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
- June 1982 - June 1987, phase dock inspector, maintenance instructor, quality assurance inspector, noncommissioned officer in charge of aircraft weight and balance and functional check flights, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, SCSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
- June 1987 - June 1991, dedicated crew chief, quality assurance inspector, noncommissioned officer in charge aircraft weight and balance and functional check flights, chief inspector of quality assurance, 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Clark Air Base, Philippines
- June 1991 - June 1992, First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
, 354th Communications and Services squadrons, Myrtle Beach AFB, SC - June 1992 - January 1994, First Sergeant, 401st Munitions Support Squadron, Ghedi AB, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- January 1994 - July 2000, First Sergeant, 3rd Combat Communications Support Squadron, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, 552nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and 552nd Aircraft Generation Squadron, Tinker AFB, OKOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
- July 2000 - July 2001, First Sergeant, 723rd Air Mobility Squadron, Ramstein AB, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- August 2001 - September 2002, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
- September 2002 - June 2004, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, VA (February 2003 - June 2003, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing379th Air Expeditionary WingThe 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
, Southwest Asia) - June 2004 - March 2005, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 11th Air Force, Elmendorf AFB, AKAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
- March 2005 - June 2006, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HIHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
- June 2006 - June 2009, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, The PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Awards and decorations
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- Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalThe 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 MeritLegion of MeritThe 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...
- Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
- Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious 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...
(1 Silver and 2 Bronze oak leaf clusters) - Air Force Commendation Medal (2 Bronze oak leaf clusters)
- Air Force Achievement Medal
- Joint Meritorious Unit AwardJoint Meritorious Unit AwardThe Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
- Outstanding Unit AwardOutstanding Unit AwardThe 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...
("V" device, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze oak leaf clusters) - Air Force Good Conduct Medal (1 Silver and 3 Bronze oak leaf clusters)
- National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
(2 bronze stars) - Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
- Southwest Asia Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
(1 bronze star) - Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
- Global War on Terrorism Service MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
- Humanitarian Service MedalHumanitarian Service MedalThe Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...
(1 bronze Star) - Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Short Tour
- Air Force Overseas Ribbon - Long Tour (2 bronze oak leaf Clusters)
- Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (Gold Frame)
- Air Force Longevity Service (1 Silver oak leaf Cluster)
- NCO Professional Military Education Graduate (2 bronze oak leaf clusters)
- Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
- Air Force Training RibbonAir Force Training RibbonThe 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...
Other achievements
- 1984 John Levitow and Esprit de Corps winner, NCO Leadership School
- 1985 Maintenance Professional of the Year for Quality Assurance, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing
- 1990 Maintenance Professional of the Year, 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing
- 1994 First Sergeant of the Year, 3rd Combat Communications Group
- 1994 First Sergeant of the Year, 12th Air Force
- 1996 First Sergeant of the Year, 552nd Air Control Wing
- 1996 First Sergeant of the Year, Tinker AFB, Okla.