Chief Master Sergeant CHRISTOPHER M. HOWARD

Chief Master Sgt. Christopher M. Howard is the Superintendent, 340th Flying Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Chief Howard provides strategic guidance and management to the commander, senior leaders and member of the largest flying group in the Air Force. The 340th FTG supports Air Education and Training
Command specialized undergraduate pilot training, joint primary pilot training, pilot instructor training, introduction to fighter fundamentals, Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training, United States Air Force Academy Airmanship programs, Air Force Reserve undergraduate flying training, and enlisted basic military training.

Chief Howard was born in Vallejo, Calif. He graduated from North High School in Bakersfield, Calif., in 1996, then immediately enlisted into the Air Force. His first assignment was to the 86th Communications Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he was assigned duties as a radio relay technician and satellite communications maintainer. Over the next 25 years, Chief Howard served in multiple roles in active duty and the Air Force Reserve. He was selected to be a super high frequency maintainer and operator aboard the E4-B aircraft, he served as noncommissioned officer in charge, instructor, planner and evaluator, and in 2006, he was selected to be part of the 4th Space Control Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. During that time, he built three flights, deployed three systems and accepted two more.

Chief Howard then left active duty to work for 9th Space Operations Squadron as a traditional reservist in support of Joint Functional Component Command for Space. While there, Chief Howard became a First Sergeant for 9th SOPS, as well as the 932nd Civil Engineering Squadron at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. In 2013, he was accepted into the Air Guard Reserve program to be the Mission Assurance Operations Flight Chief with the 379th Space Range Squadron at Shriever Air Force Base, Colo. He developed the flight from the beginning of the reactivation of the squadron until 2016, when he was selected to be the Mission Assurance Superintendent, and in 2018 to serve as the Squadron Superintendent of the 379th Space Range Squadron. Following this assignment, Chief Howard was the squadron superintendent of the 426th Network Warfare Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Prior to his current position, Chief Howard was the group superintendent of the 960th Cyberspace Operations Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Chapman Training Annex, Texas.

EDUCATION

1996 Satellite and Wideband Communications course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2000 Airman Leadership School, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2004 Noncommissioned Officer Leadership Course, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
2005 Satellite, Wideband and Telemetry 7 Level course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2007 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
2007 Electronic Systems Technology Associates Degree, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2010 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (correspondence), Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2010 Human Resource Management Associates Degree, CCAF, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2012 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Leadership Development Course, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
2013 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I (correspondence)
2017 Cyber Superintendent Course (correspondence)                                  
2019 Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2019 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II (correspondence)                                  
2020 Cyber 400, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Md.
2020 Chief Orientation Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
 

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. July 1996 – September 1996, Trainee, 322nd Basic Military Training Squadron, U.S. Air Force, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
  2. September 1996 – April 1997, Trainee, 338th Training Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
  3. April 1997 – April 1999, Crew, Regional Maintenance Team, 86th Communications Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
  4. April 1999 – May 2002, Kaiserslautern Military Community Fiber Optic Manager, 86th CS, Ramstein AB, Germany
  5. May 2002 – May 2004, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Super High Frequency Operations Team 2, 1st Airborne Command & Control Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
  6. May 2004 – May 2005, Certified Aircrew Evaluator & Planner, 1st ACCS, Offutt AFB, Neb.
  7. May 2005 – May 2006, NCO in Charge, Super High Frequency Operations and Standard Evaluations, 1st ACCS, Offutt AFB, Neb.
  8. May 2006 – June 2008, NCO in Charge, Satellite Communications Maintenance B Flight, 4th Space Control Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.    
  9. June 2008 – February 2009, Network Duty Officer, 9th Space Operations Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
  10. February 2009 – October 2012, First Sergeant, 9th SOPS, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
  11. October 2012 – January 2013, First Sergeant, 932nd Civil Engineering Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
  12. January 2013 – August 2016, Flight Chief Mission Assurance Operations, 379th Space Range Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
  13. August 2016 – February 2018, Mission Assurance Superintendent, 379th SRS, Schriever AFB, Colo.           
  14. February 2018 – December 2018, Squadron Superintendent, 379th SRS, Schriever AFB, Colo.                         
  15. December 2018 – June 2019, Squadron Superintendent, 426th Network Warfare Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas                  
  16. June 2019 – January 2022, Group Superintendent, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Chapman Training Annex, Texas
  17. January 2022 – February 2023, Group Superintendent, 340th Flying Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
  18. March 2023 – Present, Command Chief, 960th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

2010 310th Space Wing First Sergeant of the Year
2007 Commandants Award, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Airman Basic July 24, 1996
Airman January 24, 1997
Airman First Class November 24, 1997
Senior Airman July 24, 1999
Staff Sergeant January 1, 2002
Technical Sergeant June 1, 2006
Master Sergeant September 1, 2008
Senior Master Sergeant September 1, 2016
Chief Master Sergeant April 1, 2019
 

(Current as of January 2022)