Chief Master Sgt. Gary B. Carter is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. He is responsible to the commander for the effective employment, professional development, good order and discipline of 1,600 enlisted personnel assigned to two groups and eight squadrons. The chief also coordinates with senior military leaders, professional military organizations and community partners to support the 1st FW enlisted personnel.
Chief Carter grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He entered the Air Force in 1987. Following technical training, he served as a Bomb Navigation System Technician on B-52 aircraft. In 1991, he retrained into the Weather career field. As a weather technician, he has served as a weather observer, weather forecaster, weather operations NCOIC, weather training NCOIC, standards evaluator and additional duty first sergeant. Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Carter served as the Superintendent for the 1st Weather Group at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
Chief Carter's assignments include bases and posts in Colorado, Louisiana, Illinois, Florida, Mississippi, Washington, Virginia, Nebraska and North Carolina. The Chief has also served overseas in Republic of Korea and Germany, and has deployed on three occasions to Southwest Asia in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He has also supported Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and ALLIED FORCE.
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EDUCATION
1990 Strategic Air Command NCO Preparatory Course, Barksdale AFB, LA
1996 CCAF, Associate in Applied Science Degree in Avionics System Technology
1996 CCAF, Associate in Applied Science Degree in Weather Technology
2001 USAFE NCO Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2001 B.S., Business Administration, University of Maryland University College
2004 M.A., Management Science, Webster University
2004 USAF Senior NCO Academy, Gunter Annex, AL
2005 Basic Airborne Course, Fort Benning, GA
2005 Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Course, Fort Bragg, NC
2007 Chief's Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL
2008 USAF Senior Leadership Course, Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg, PA
2009 Joint Enlisted Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA (Correspondence)
2010 Enterprise Management Seminar, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, VA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1987 - January 1988, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. January 1988 - August 1988, Trainee, B-52 Bomb Navigation System Technology Course, Lowry AFB, CO
3. August 1988 - June 1991, B-52 Bomb Navigation System Technician, 2nd Organizational Maintenance Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA
4. June 1991 - November 1991, Student, Weather Observer Course, Chanute AFB, IL
5. November 1991 - January 1993, Weather Observer, 325th Operational Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
6. January 1993 - September 1993, Student, Weather Forecast Course, Keesler AFB, MS
7. November 1993 - June 1995, Assist Flight Chief, 1st Weather Squadron, Fort Lewis Army Installation, WA
(Forecaster, Special Operations Weather Team)
8. July 1995 - June 1996, Weather Forecaster, Det 2, 607th Weather Squadron, Camp Humphries, ROK
9. June 1996 - July 1997, Weather Forecaster, 86th Operational Support Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
10. July 1997 - August 2001, NCOIC, Operations Directorate, Flight Chief, Training Directorate, USAFE Operational Weather Squadron, Sembach AB, GE
11. August 2001 - June 2003, Flight Chief, Operations Directorate, 15th Operational Weather Squadron, Scott AFB, IL
12. June 2003 - September 2005, Standards Evaluator/Inspector, Air Force Weather Agency, Offutt AFB, NE (January 2005 - May 2005 Superintendent, Joint METOC Office, MNF-I Camp Victory, Iraq)
13. September 2005 - June 2008, Chief Enlisted Manager, Air Force Element and Superintendent, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group/J2, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
(September 2006 - January 2007 Joint METOC Officer, Joint Task Force, Balad, Iraq; June 2007 - August 2007 Superintendent, Joint Air Component and Joint METOC Officer, Joint Task Force, Balad, Iraq)
14. June 2008 - July 2011, Superintendent, 1st Weather Group, Offutt AFB, NE
15. July 2011 - Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation with one oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, USAFE Operational Weather Squadron
2002 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 15th Operational Weather Squadron
2002 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Tanker Airlift Control Center
2004 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Air Force Weather Agency
2004 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Headquarters, Air Force, Training and Operations Directorate
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant December 1, 2007
(Current as of July 2011)