James M. McCoy
Encyclopedia
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
James M. McCoy (born July 30, 1930) was the sixth Chief Master Sergeant
appointed to the highest Non-commissioned officer
position in the United States Air Force
.
, and he graduated from Maur Hill High School, Atchison, Kansas
, in 1948. He entered the U.S. Air Force in January 1951 after attending St. Benedict's College in Atchison and St. Ambrose College
in Davenport, Iowa
. He received a bachelor of science
degree in business administration from Centenary College
of Louisiana
in 1966. He is an honor graduate of the Second Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy and graduated with the first class of the U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Gunter Air Force Station, Alabama
, in March 1973.
After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
, McCoy served with the Air Defense Command as a radar operator and instructor until 1956. He then returned to Lackland to become an instructor in the basic military training program. In 1957 he transferred to Clark Air Base, Philippines, where he served as the base training noncommissioned officer. During the Taiwan
crisis of August 1958 he was instrumental in establishing and operating the wing command post which coordinated all inbound combined Air Strike Force aircraft. In 1959 he was assigned as the assistant commandant of cadets, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 225, University of Notre Dame
, in Indiana.
McCoy was assigned in 1960 as commandant, Strategic Air Command Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Preparatory School, 305th Bombardment Wing, Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Ind. Two years later he was selected as an instructor with the Second Air Force NCO Academy at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. He supervised the development of a proposed course of study for noncommissioned officer leadership schools. Prior to the academy's closure in 1966, he had become the academy's sergeant major.
In April 1966 McCoy was assigned as chief, training branch, deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters Second Air Force, where he was responsible for the command's on-the-job training and special training programs. He transferred to Headquarters Strategic Air Command in June 1967 where he was the noncommissioned officer professional military education monitor for the deputy chief of staff, personnel. While there, he established and monitored the SAC Noncommissioned Officer Academy and Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School programs.
In 1970 Chief McCoy transferred to the 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as noncommissioned officer in charge of operations training. He supervised and monitored all training programs for the H-3, H-43, H-53 and HC-130 aircraft crews assigned to wing units throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia. As an additional duty, he served as senior enlisted adviser to the wing commander.
Chief McCoy was assigned in April 1973 as chief, military training branch; deputy chief of staff, personnel; Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. He revitalized the on-the-job training program and represented the command at several worldwide conferences which helped improve Air Force-wide training programs. During this assignment, he was selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Air Force in 1974.
Returning to the Strategic Air Command in March 1975, Chief McCoy became its first senior enlisted adviser. During this period he served as the personal representative of the commander in chief to the enlisted men and women of the command. In addition to traveling extensively throughout the command, he also served as chairman of two worldwide senior enlisted adviser conferences for the Air Force Association. Their efforts helped identify issues affecting quality of Air Force life. McCoy served in the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from August 1979 to July 1981.
-area and on the national level. He has served two terms as the Air Force Association national president and two terms as its chairman of the board.
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,...
James M. McCoy (born July 30, 1930) was the sixth 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...
.
Career
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James M. McCoy was adviser to Secretary of the Air Force Hans Mark and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Lew Allen Jr. on matters concerning welfare, effective utilization and progress of the enlisted members of the Air Force. He was the sixth chief master sergeant appointed to this ultimate noncommissioned officer position.Biography
McCoy was born in Creston, IowaCreston, Iowa
Creston is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,597 at the 2000 census. McKinley Lake lies within a large, multi-purpose municipal park within the city limits, and three additional recreational lakes are located within seven miles of Creston:...
, and he graduated from Maur Hill High School, Atchison, Kansas
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
, in 1948. He entered the U.S. Air Force in January 1951 after attending St. Benedict's College in Atchison and St. Ambrose College
St. Ambrose College
St. Ambrose College is a leading state Voluntary Aided, Christian Brothers' Roman Catholic boys' grammar school located in Hale Barns, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1946. In 2005, St Ambrose College became a mathematics and computing college and the school is today...
in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. He received a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in business administration from Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in 1966. He is an honor graduate of the Second Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy and graduated with the first class of the U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Gunter Air Force Station, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, in March 1973.
After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, 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...
, McCoy served with the Air Defense Command as a radar operator and instructor until 1956. He then returned to Lackland to become an instructor in the basic military training program. In 1957 he transferred to Clark Air Base, Philippines, where he served as the base training noncommissioned officer. During the Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
crisis of August 1958 he was instrumental in establishing and operating the wing command post which coordinated all inbound combined Air Strike Force aircraft. In 1959 he was assigned as the assistant commandant of cadets, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 225, University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, in Indiana.
McCoy was assigned in 1960 as commandant, Strategic Air Command Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Preparatory School, 305th Bombardment Wing, Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Ind. Two years later he was selected as an instructor with the Second Air Force NCO Academy at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. He supervised the development of a proposed course of study for noncommissioned officer leadership schools. Prior to the academy's closure in 1966, he had become the academy's sergeant major.
In April 1966 McCoy was assigned as chief, training branch, deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters Second Air Force, where he was responsible for the command's on-the-job training and special training programs. He transferred to Headquarters Strategic Air Command in June 1967 where he was the noncommissioned officer professional military education monitor for the deputy chief of staff, personnel. While there, he established and monitored the SAC Noncommissioned Officer Academy and Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School programs.
In 1970 Chief McCoy transferred to the 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, as noncommissioned officer in charge of operations training. He supervised and monitored all training programs for the H-3, H-43, H-53 and HC-130 aircraft crews assigned to wing units throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia. As an additional duty, he served as senior enlisted adviser to the wing commander.
Chief McCoy was assigned in April 1973 as chief, military training branch; deputy chief of staff, personnel; Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. He revitalized the on-the-job training program and represented the command at several worldwide conferences which helped improve Air Force-wide training programs. During this assignment, he was selected as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Air Force in 1974.
Returning to the Strategic Air Command in March 1975, Chief McCoy became its first senior enlisted adviser. During this period he served as the personal representative of the commander in chief to the enlisted men and women of the command. In addition to traveling extensively throughout the command, he also served as chairman of two worldwide senior enlisted adviser conferences for the Air Force Association. Their efforts helped identify issues affecting quality of Air Force life. McCoy served in the position of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from August 1979 to July 1981.
Major awards and decorations
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Post-career
Active in many business and civic organizations he has served on several councils and board of directors in the Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
-area and on the national level. He has served two terms as the Air Force Association national president and two terms as its chairman of the board.