Chief Master Sergeant Charles R. Hoffman is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. The 18th Wing, the largest combat wing in the U.S. Air Force, provides the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, trained and equipped tactical air superiority forces; combat search and rescue forces; command and control platforms; aeromedical evacuation capability; and global mobility resources for contingency operations. Chief Hoffman serves as the installation's senior enlisted liaison between the 18th Wing and enlisted personnel from five other Air Force major commands and joint partner units. The wing flies the F-15C, KC-135, HH-60 and E-3 aircraft. Additionally, the wing provides the 5th Air Force Commander a responsive, staging and operational air base with integrated, deployable, forward-based air power. He serves as principal advisor to the wing commander on all issues affecting the health, morale, welfare, professional development and combat readiness of nearly 10,000 personnel assigned.
Chief Hoffman entered the Air Force in 1991. His diverse assignment background spans Air Force and Army field units at the MAJCOM, group, squadron, brigade, and HHQ Army levels. Chief Hoffman has deployed four times in his career, with NATO to Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina during Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR, to Skopje, Republic of Macedonia with the UN during Task Force ABLE SENTRY, to Balad Air Base, Iraq for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, and Camp Arifjan, Kuwait during Operation NEW DAWN.
EDUCATION
1996 Airman Leadership School, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
1997 Associate in Applied Science degree in Meteorology, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, McGuire AFB, NJ
2006 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
2007 Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management, Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE
2008 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2008 Master of Arts degree in Management, Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE
2011 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2011 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2012 The Contingency Wartime Planning Course, LeMay Center, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville, VA
2014 Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Executive Course, University of Tennessee, TN
2015 Keystone, National Defense University, Washington DC
2015 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, CO
2016 Chinese and Mid-East Asia Seminar, Capitol Hill Club, Washington DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1991 - July 1991, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. July 1991 - October 1991, Student, Weather Observer Course, Chanute AFB, IL
3. October 1991 - August 1994, Weather Observer, 45th Weather Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL
4. August 1994 - April 1995, Student, Weather Forecasting School, 334th TRS, Keesler AFB, MS
5. April 1995 - May 1998, Weather Forecaster, Detachment 10, 7th Weather Squadron, Giebelstadt AAF, Germany (March - July 1996, Weather Forecaster, NATO IFOR, Tuzla Airfield, Bosnia; February - June 1997, Weather Forecaster, UN Task Force Able Sentry, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia)
6. May 1998 - September 2001, Space Environmental Data Analyst, Detachment 2, Air Weather Service, Hanscom AFB, MA
7. September 2001 - October 2002, NCOIC Mission Weather Element, 51st Operations Support Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea
8. October 2002 - July 2005, Regional Forecast Manager, 26th Operational Weather Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA
9. July 2005 - February 2008, Flight Chief, 17th Operational Weather Squadron, Hickam AFB, HI
10. February 2008 - July 2009, Operations Superintendent, 17th Operational Weather Squadron, Hickam AFB, HI
11. July 2009 - January 2012, Squadron Superintendent, 22nd Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kansas (April 2011 - October 2011, Weather Manager, 3rd Army, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
12. January 2012 - July 2012, Group Superintendent, 22nd Operations Group, McConnell AFB, KS
13. July 2012 - October 2013, AFMC Functional Manager, Weather, HQ AFMC A3, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
14. October 2013 - April 2015, Command Chief, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
15. April 2015 - Present, Command Chief, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1996 Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2007 Senior Noncommissioned Officer the Year, 13th Air Force
2008 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 13th Air force and Team Hickam
2008 Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant, 1 November 2011
(Current as of May 2016)