Chief Master Sergeant Jay Harris is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He is the principle enlisted advisor to the Wing Commander on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale and proper utilization and progress of over 1,400 personnel, two airfields, two groups and six squadrons; including two F-22 fighter squadrons and a T-38 fighter training squadron. The 1st Fighter Wing executes worldwide rapid deployment and employment of F-22 air dominance fighters in support of Combatant Commander taskings. Chief Harris provides direction to 1st Fighter Wing personnel and represents their interests, as appropriate to senior military leaders, professional military organizations and community partners.
Chief Harris is a native of Beaumont, Texas and entered the Air Force in February 1995. He has served as Superintendent and Additional Duty First Sergeant at the Squadron, Group, and Numbered Air Force. His previous assignments and deployments include bases in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Greenland, Germany and Senegal. He is married to Maria Angeles Tapia and they have five children (Sterling, Hector, Devon, Natalia, and Alexa).
EDUCATION
1995 Enlisted Space Operations Initial Qualification Training (IQT) Technical Course, Vandenberg AFB, CA
1995 Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased Array Warning System (PAVE PAWS) IQT, Colorado Springs, CO
1998 Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Missile Warning and Defense Operations IQT, Boulder, CO
1999 SBIRS Ground Systems Ops IQT, Boulder, CO
1999 Airman Leadership School, F.E. Warren AFB, WY
2002 Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) IQT, Vandenberg AFB, CA
2004 Associate of Applied Science in Air and Space Operations, Community College of the Air Force, AL
2005 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, McGuire AFB, NJ
2005 Space Professional 200 Course, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2008 Advanced Missile Warning & Defense Course, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2009 Space Professional 300 Course, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2009 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I via Correspondence Course, Joint Knowledge Online
2011 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB Gunter Annex, AL
2012 Professional Management Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Interservice Postal Activity, F5 Postal Ops Training, Fort Jackson, SC
2013 Bachelors of Science in Strategic Leadership, Southwestern College, Winfield, KS
2014 Associate of Applied Science in Information Management, Community College of the Air Force, AL
2014 Cyberspace Superintendent Correspondence Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Seminar, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2017 Contingency Wartime Planning Course, Curtis E. Lemay Center, Maxwell AFB, AL
2017 Command Chief Master Sergeant Candidate Symposium, Andrews Air Base, MD
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II via Correspondence Course, Joint Knowledge Online
ASSIGNMENTS
Feb 1995 – Apr 1995, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
Apr 1995 – Jun 1995, Student, Space Operations IQT, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
Jun 1995 – Aug 1995, Student, PAVE PAWS IQT, 533d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
Aug 1995 – Aug 1998, Space Console Operator, 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod AFS, MA
Aug 1998 – Jun 1999, Data Systems Operator, 2d Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO
Jun 1999 – Mar 2001, Mission Crew Chief, 2d Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO
Mar 2001 – Aug 2002, Lead Ground Systems Instructor, 2d Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO
Aug 2002 – Oct 2002, Student, BMEWS IQT, 533d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
Oct 2002 – Oct 2003, Evaluation Specialist, 12th Space Warning Squadron, Thule Air Base, Greenland
Oct 2003 – Oct 2005, NCOIC, Weapons & Tactics, 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod AFS, MA
Oct 2005 – Oct 2009, NCOIC, Missile Warning & Defense, Training & Evals, USPACOM/J3, Camp Smith, HI
Mar 2009 – Aug 2011, NAF Program Manager, Range and Spacelift Operations, 14 AF/A3, Vandenberg AFB, CA
Aug 2011 – May 2013, Squadron Superintendent, 533d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
May 2013 – Apr 2015, Flight Chief, Plans & Prgms, 52d Communications Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
Nov 2014 – Jan 2015, Superintendent, Postal Ops, 787th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Dakar ISB, Senegal
Apr 2015 – Aug 2016, Squadron Superintendent, 2d Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, CO
Aug 2016 – Aug 2018, Group Superintendent, United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
Aug 2018 – Present, Command Chief, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Air Force Sergeants Association (Lifetime Member) Air Force Association (Lifetime Member)
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 “Academic Achiever” PAVE PAWS IQT
1997 Senior Airmen “Below-the Zone”
1999 “Distinguished Graduate” Airman Leadership School
2002 “Distinguished Graduate” BMEWS IQT
2002 “NCO of the Year” 12th Space Warning Squadron, 21st Operations Group & Thule Air Base
2007 “Enlisted Person of the Year” NCO Category, US Pacific Command
2008 “SNCO of the Year” HQ US Pacific Command Air Force Element
2009 “SNCO of the Year” HQ 14th Air Force
2011 “SNCO of the Year” 533d Training Squadron
2012 “SNCO of the Year” HQ 2d Air Force & 381st Training Group
2013 “Distinguished Graduate” Interservice Postal Activity, F5 Postal Ops Training
2013 “Magna cum Laude Graduate” Bachelors of Science in Strategic Leadership
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 1 July 2015
(Bio Current as of Sep 2018)