CMSgt William G. Ford serves as the Command Chief for the 49th Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. He is the senior enlisted advisor to the Wing Commander on all issues regarding the safety, training, morale, welfare, personal and professional development, and quality of life issues affecting the total force of over 21,000 assigned personnel including the 635th Materiel Maintenance Group (Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources) and the 704th Test Group. The 49th Wing is the primary F-16 and MQ-9 training schoolhouse for the United States Air Force, training more than 150 F-16 pilots and 700 MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators annually.
CMSgt Ford is from Nichols, South Carolina. He began his Air Force career in May of 1999 as a Tactical Aircraft Maintainer. Chief Ford served in a special duty assignment as an Airman & Family Readiness Center Readiness NCOIC. His career has had a myriad of leadership and managerial opportunities and challenges allowing him to lead in multiple maintenance groups, a mission support group, and two operations groups. Chief Ford also served overseas in the Republic of Korea and has deployed six times in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINAL, INHERENT RESOLVE, RESOLUTE SUPPORT, and the Combined Defense of the Arabian Gulf.
Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Ford successfully served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 80th Flying Training Wing, and the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
EDUCATION
2002 Airman Leadership School, Pope AFB, NC
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyndall AFB, FL
2010 Associate of Applied Science, Aircraft Maintenance Technology, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Professional Military Education Correspondence Course 14
2013 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I Correspondence Course
2015 Airman & Family Readiness Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Professional Manager’s Certificate, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Associate of Applied Science, Human Relations, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II Correspondence Course
2019 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2020 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Judge Advocate General’s School, Virtual Course
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeants Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, MD
2023 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina
2023 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management Focus, Park University, MO
2024 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Dec 1999 – Feb 2001, Assistant Dedicated Crew Chief, 357th Fighter Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
2. Feb 2001 – Feb 2002, Dedicated Crew Chief, 25th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
3. Feb 2002 – Oct 2005, Dedicated Crew Chief, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Pope AFB, NC
(May – Oct 2005, 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
4. Oct 2005 – Jan 2008, Repair & Reclamation Craftsman, 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Pope AFB, NC
(Jan – May 2007, 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Al Assad AB, Iraq)
5. Jan 2008 – Oct 2011, Flight Line Expediter, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
(Feb – Aug 2009, 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
(Mar – Oct 2011, 451st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan)
6. Oct 2011 – Nov 2013, Aircraft Section Chief, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
(Mar – Oct 2013, 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
7. Nov 2013 – Oct 2014, Production Superintendent, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
8. Oct 2014 – Dec 2017, Readiness NCOIC, Airman & Family Readiness Center, 23d Force Support Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
9. Dec 2017 – Jul 2019, Superintendent, 12th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 727th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
10. Jul 2019 – Jun 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 23d Fighter Group, Moody AFB, GA
(Oct 2021 – Apr 2022, 380th Expeditionary Operations Group, Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates)
11. Jun 2022 – May 2024, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 80th Flying Training Wing, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Sheppard AFB, TX
12. May 2024 – Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, NM
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1999 Distinguished Graduate Award, Tactical Aircraft Maintenance School
2001 Senior Airman Below-the-Zone
2005 4th Fighter Wing, CMSAF Thomas Barnes Crew Chief of the Year
2010 Distinguished Graduate Award, Airey NCOA
2013 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, SNCO Maintenance Professional of the Year
2013 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, SNCO of the Year
2016 23d Force Support Squadron, Team of the Year
2016 23d Force Support Squadron, SNCO of the Year
2016 23d Wing, Volunteer of the Year
2017 9th AF, Airman & Family Readiness Flight of the Year
2017 9th AF, General Billy J. Boles Mentorship Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant, 1 October 2018
(Current as of May, 2024)