CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT RICH J. BROWNLEE

Published March 4, 2025

Official Photo CMSgt Richard J. Brownlee

Chief Master Sergeant Rich J. Brownlee is the Senior Enlisted Leader, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. In this position he supports the Commander and faculty in providing post-graduate senior leader development programs focused on joint, multinational, multi-agency warfighting and international security operation, air, space and cyberspace force strategy development and national security planning.

CMSgt Brownlee hails from Florida and entered the Air Force in October 2003. He began his career as a Security Forces member and cross trained into the Aircraft Loadmaster career field in 2013. CMSgt Brownlee has been assigned to ACC, PACAF, AFGSC and AMC filling roles as Security Forces Instructor, Evaluator Loadmaster, and Additional Duty First Sergeant. His operational assignments have included bases in Missouri, Georgia, Washington, Illinois and Delaware. He also has served overseas in South Korea and deployed multiple times to Southwest Asia.

Prior to his current position, he served as Course Director, Airmanship 800, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL.

EDUCATION
2007 Airman Leadership School, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.
2010 Associate Degree, Criminal Justice, CCAF
2012 AFGSC Tactical Breachers Course, Camp Guernsey, Wyo.
2014 Associate Degree, Aviation Operations, CCAF
2014 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by Correspondence
2015 Bachelor of Sciences, Applied Management, National American University
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by Correspondence
2018 Master of Arts, Organizational Leadership, Brandman University
2019 Air Mobility Command Superintendent 101 Course, Scott AFB, Ill.
2020 Advanced Nuclear Concepts, (Nuc 300), Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2020 USN Senior Enlisted Academy, Newport, R.I.
2021 Leadership Development Course for Squadron Command, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala..
2022 CMSgt Leadership Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Strategic Leader Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Joint and Combined Warfighter School, Joint Forces Staff College, Va.
2024 Leadership Coaching Program, Leadership and Innovation Institute, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2003 - November 2003, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. December 2003 - March 2004, Student, Technical Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. March 2004 - November 2007, Master Surveillance Control Facility Operator, 509th SFS, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
4. December 2007 - December 2008, Town Patrolman/Law Enforcement Desk Sergeant, Kunsan AB, South Korea.
5. December 2008 - January 2010, NCOIC, Standardization and Evaluation, 23rd SFS, Moody, AFB, Ga.
6. January 2010 - January 2014, SF Training Instructor, 509th SFS, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
7. January 2014 - May 2016, Operations Superintendent, 10th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
8. May 2016 - July 2018, Loadmaster Superintendent, 4th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
9. July 2018 - March 2019, Superintendent, 62d Operations Group Stan-Eval, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
10. April 2019 - July 2020, Command Manager, Nuclear Airlift Operations, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. July 2020 - July 2021, Superintendent, Nuclear Operations Division, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. July 2021 - April 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 3d Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
13. April 2023 – May 2024, Chief of Ops, Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter annex, Ala.
14. Jun 2024 – Aug 2024, Course Director, Airmanship 800, AFSNCOA, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Enlisted Aircrew
Flight Hours: More than 2,600
Aircraft Flown: C-17A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 NCO of the Year, 509th SFS, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
2015 NCO of the Year, 10th AS, JBLM, Wash.
2015 AFA Pitsenbarger Award
2016 62d Operations Group SNCO of the Year, JBLM, Wash.
2017 4th AS SNCO of the Year, JBLM, Wash.
2018 62d Operations Group SNCO of the Year, JBLM, Wash.
2019 AMC/A10N SNCO of the Year, Scott AFB, Ill.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant, November 1, 2022

(Current as of July 2024)