MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Chief Master Sgt. Bridget Bruhn took over as command chief for the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education during a change of responsibility ceremony on Maxwell Air Force Base, Gunter Annex, Alabama, July 12, 2024.
During the ceremony, Col. Damian Schlussel, commander of the Barnes Center, passed the guidon to Bruhn, signifying the transfer of responsibilities from Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Lackey to Bruhn.
“Josh, thanks for all your hard work and your leadership. Your impact was seen at the institutional level and beyond,” Bruhn said during her speech. “It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing enterprise.”
Before arriving at the Barnes Center, Bruhn served as the command chief for the 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, where she advised the commander on issues affecting the health, welfare, morale, training, proper utilization and professional development of the wing’s 1,000 enlisted, officer and civilian personnel.
Originally from Hawaii, Bruhn entered the Air Force as a chaplain’s assistant in 1998, but later cross-trained into communications. Throughout her career, she deployed or directly supported Operations Allied Force, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, and Unified Protector. She also has a doctorate of business administration and organizational leadership from Northcentral University, Scottsdale, Arizona.
“I am excited for this opportunity and for what we will accomplish over the next few years,” Bruhn said. “What we do impacts more than 432,000 total force personnel. We must get it right to prepare our Airmen for tomorrow’s fight.”
The Barnes Center, named after the service's fourth chief master sergeant of the Air Force, Thomas N. Barnes, includes six stateside noncommissioned officer academies, the Senior NCO Academy, the Chief Leadership Course, the Community College of the Air Force, the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute, the Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course, and the Foundations courses. It also supports the 68 Airman Leadership Schools across the globe.