Kadena promotes eight to Chief Master Sgt.

Published Dec. 20, 2015
By Airman 1st Class Corey M. Pettis
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Eight senior NCOs celebrated achieving the Air Force's top enlisted rank during a chief recognition ceremony Dec. 18 at the Banyan Tree Club here.

The eight senior NCOs are:

Senior Master Sgt. Justin G. Apticar, 18th Maintenance Group quality assurance superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Christopher D. Herrera, 733rd Air Mobility Squadron superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. David L. Braun, 18th Wing executive administration superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth E. Huhman, 320th Special Tactics Squadron superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Dana L. Butler, 18th Medical Support Squadron superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Craig J. Tocci, 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron helicopter maintenance unit superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Michael V. Ickes, 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron material management flight superintendent
Senior Master Sgt. Carlos E. Labrador, 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental engineering superintendent

More than 200 family, friends and coworkers were in attendance, including honorary guest Col. Christopher Amrhein, 18th Wing vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Charles Hoffman, 18th Wing command chief.

Each chief select was individually called to the stage with their families to be presented a promotion certificate and chief coin by Amrhein.

After the coin certificate and coin presentation, Hoffman then spoke about what it means to be a chief master sergeant and shared stories of his own career and how it made him the chief master sergeant he is today.

He went on to speak about what he expected from the newly selected chiefs and how their decisions will affect the next generation of Airmen.

The Air Force selected 525 out of 2,521 eligible senior master sergeants for promotion to chief for a 20.83 percent selection rate.