Gerald R. Murray was the 14th 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,...

. Chief Murray served 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...

 from 1977 to 2006, retiring after 29 years of distinguished service.

Biography

Chief Murray grew up in Boiling Springs, North Carolina

Boiling Springs, North Carolina

Boiling Springs is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 4,647. It is home to Gardner-Webb University. The Broad River runs along the south of the township, where the Broad River Greenway is located, providing recreational...

, and entered the 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...

 in October 1977. His background includes various duties in aircraft maintenance

Aircraft maintenance

Aircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...

 and as a Command Chief Master Sergeant at wing, numbered air force and major command levels. His assignments include bases in Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, 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...

, Washington and Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

. The chief also served overseas in Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 and Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, and deployed in support of operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch

Operation Southern Watch

Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...

. Before becoming 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,...

, he served as Command Chief Master Sergeant, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base

Hickam Air Force Base

Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...

, 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...

.

Murray was appointed to the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force on July 1, 2002. Chief Murray was the 14th Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position. Murray retired on October 1, 2006 after 29 years of service.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray represents the highest enlisted level of leadership, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted corps and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public, and to those in all levels of government. He serves 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.

Education

• 1983 Tactical Air Command Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School, Shaw AFB
  Shaw Air Force Base
  Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
  
  , SC.
• 1984 U.S. Air Forces in Europe Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, West Germany
• 1986 Associate in Applied Science degree in aircraft systems maintenance technology, Community College of the Air Force
  Community College of the Air Force
  The 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....
  
  
• 1987 Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts
  Liberal arts
  The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
  
  , Saint Leo College
  Saint Leo University
  Saint 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.
• 1993 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter AFB
  Gunter Air Force Base
  Gunter Annex is a United States Air Force installation located in the North-northeast suburbs of Montgomery, Alabama. The base is named after former Montgomery mayor William Adams Gunter. Until 1992 it was known as Gunter Air Force Base or Gunter Air Force Station...
  
  , Al.

Assignments

1. October 1977 - December 1977, trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB
   Lackland Air Force Base
   Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
   
   , Texas
   Texas
   Texas 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...
   
   
2. December 1977 - February 1978, student, Aircraft Maintenance Technology Course, Sheppard AFB
   Sheppard Air Force Base
   Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located five miles north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command...
   
   , Texas
   Texas
   Texas 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...
   
   
3. February 1978 - October 1981, aircraft crew chief, 13th Fighter Squadron, 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, MacDill AFB
   MacDill Air Force Base
   MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
   
   , Fla.
   Florida
   Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
   
   
4. October 1981 - April 1984, aircraft maintenance instructor, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB
   Shaw Air Force Base
   Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
   
   , S.C.
   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...
   
   
5. April 1984 - May 1986, senior F-16 Fighting Falcon
   F-16 Fighting Falcon
   The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
   
    crew chief, 39th Consolidated Maintenance Squadron, Incirlik Air Base
   Incirlik Air Base
   The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...
   
   , Turkey
   Turkey
   Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
   
   
6. May 1986 - July 1992, aircraft production superintendent, 353rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 354th Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB
   Myrtle Beach Air Force Base
   Myrtle Beach Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force facility, located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was established in 1940 as a World War II training base and was also used for coastal patrols during the war...
   
   , S.C. (August 1990 March 1991, production superintendent, 354th Wing [Provisional], King Fahd International Airport
   King Fahd International Airport
   King Fahd International Airport is located 20 kilometers northwest of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It is the largest airport in the world in terms of land area . The airport's basic infrastructure was complete by the end of 1990, which allowed the Allied forces engaged in the first Gulf War in early...
   
    and King Khalid Military City
   King Khalid Military City
   King Khalid Military City is a special city in northeastern Saudi Arabia and about 60 km south to Hafar Al-Batin City, designed and built by the Middle East Division, a unit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in the 1970s and 1980s. The consultants were Brown, Daltas, and Associates in...
   
   , Saudi Arabia
   Saudi Arabia
   The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
   
   )
7. July 1992 - December 1994, Superintendent, Maintenance Flight, 354th Fighter Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
8. December 1994 - April 1996, Maintenance Superintendent, 70th Fighter Squadron, 347th Wing, Moody AFB
   Moody Air Force Base
   Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
   
   , Ga.
   Georgia (U.S. state)
   Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
   
    (December 1995 March 1996, Maintenance Superintendent, 70th Fighter Squadron, Al Jaber AB, Kuwait
   Kuwait
   The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
   
   )
9. April 1996 - August 1999, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 347th Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (November 1997 March 1998, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 347th Wing (Provisional) Sheikh Isa AB
   Sheik Isa Air Base
   Isa Air Base, formerly Shaikh Isa Air Base , is located on the 665 km² island nation of Bahrain which is situated off Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast...
   
   , Bahrain
   Bahrain
   ' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
   
   )
10. September 1999 - August 2001, Command Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force
    Fifth Air Force
    The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
    
    , Yokota AB
    Yokota Air Base
    , is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...
    
    , Japan
    Japan
    Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
    
    
11. August 2001 - June 2002, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB
    Hickam Air Force Base
    Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...
    
    , 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...
    
    
12. July 2002 - June 2006, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, The Pentagon
    The Pentagon
    The 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.

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...
	Bronze Star Medal Bronze Star Medal The 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...
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
	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 bronze oak leaf cluster
	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
	Air Force Recognition Ribbon Air Force Recognition Ribbon The Air Force Recognition Ribbon is a military award of the United States Air Force which was first created in October 1980. The ribbon is intended to recognize those who have received "non-portable" awards for accomplishment and excellence while serving on active duty in the United States Air...
	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 bronze 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...
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The 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...  with bronze service star
	Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal The 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...  with two bronze service stars
	Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster
	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 oak leaf cluster
	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 bronze 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...
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :...
	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient...

Other Achievements

• 1983 Honor graduate and Communicative Skills Award, Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School
• 1985 Distinguished graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
• 1991 Air Force General Lew Allen Trophy, for outstanding performance in aircraft sortie generation.
• 1993 Distinguished graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions

Rank	Date
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,...	July 1, 2002
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...	November 1, 1994
Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant is the eighth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Master Sergeant and below Chief Master Sergeant and is a senior non-commissioned officer ....	February 1, 1992
Master Sergeant	July 1, 1987
Technical Sergeant Technical Sergeant Technical Sergeant is the name of one current and two former enlisted ranks in the United States military.-United States Air Force:Technical Sergeant, or Tech Sergeant, is the sixth enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant. A technical sergeant is...	July 1, 1984
Staff Sergeant Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...	July 1, 1981
Sergeant	October 1, 1980
Senior Airman Senior Airman Senior airman is the fourth enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman first class and below staff sergeant. It has a pay grade of E-4...	October 1, 1979
Airman First Class Airman First Class Airman first class is the third enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman and below senior airman. The rank of airman first class is considered a junior enlisted rank, with the non-commissioned officers and senior non-commissioned officers above it.Airman first class is a...	October 31, 1978
Airman Airman An airman is a member of the air component of a nation's armed service. In the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force , it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank...	April 30, 1978
Airman Basic Airman Basic Airman Basic is the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force , immediately below Airman. The pay grade for Airman Basic is E-1.As opposed to all other USAF enlisted and officer ranks, Airman Basic has no rank insignia affiliated...	October 1977

External links