Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Smith

CMSgt Brandon Smith is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He advises the commander on the mission effectiveness, professional development, military readiness, training, utilization, health, morale, and welfare for over 2,600 total force personnel. Additionally, Chief Smith serves as the functional manager for the wing’s Senior Enlisted Leaders and First Sergeants. Through his leadership and deliberate development of the force, Team Vance conducts specialized undergraduate pilot training for more than 400 U.S. Air Force and Allied student pilots annually, operating a fleet of over 200 aircraft, flying more than 55,000 sorties and logging over 80,000 flying hours each year.

Chief Smith entered the Air Force in February 1999 and graduated the Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) Specialist Training Course in December of the same year. His Air Force background includes diverse duties in the SERE career field, the Combat and Mobility Air Forces, the Nuclear Enterprise and the Joint Communities as a MAJCOM Functional Manager, Combatant Command Program Manager, Joint Senior Enlisted Advisor and Group Senior Enlisted Leader. In addition, he has deployed globally in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM – PHILIPPINES and INHERENT RESOLVE and has completed overseas tours in Japan, Hawaii and the United Kingdom. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the Group Senior Enlisted Leader, 100th Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom.

EDUCATION
1999 SERE Specialist Training Course, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2003 Airmen Leadership School, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2003 Associate Degree, Survival Instructor, Community College of the Air Force
2003 Occupational Instructor Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2005 AIRBORNE Jumpmaster Course, Fort Benning, Ga.
2006 SERE Craftsman’s Course, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2006 Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.
2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I (Correspondence)
2012 Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course
2012 Bachelors of Arts, International and Transnational Security, American Military University
2015 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2015 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Arts, Leadership & Management, Webster University, Ill.
2016 Master of Arts, Human Resource Development, Webster University, Ill.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II (Correspondence)
2019 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course (SELO), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Command Chief Candidate Course, Washington D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1999 – December 1999, Student, SERE Specialist Training, 66th Training Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2. January 1999 - June 2004, Water Survival & Field Training Instructor; Enlisted Specialty Trainer, 22nd Training Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
3. June 2004 - October 2007, NCOIC, Stan/Eval; Parachuting Operations NCOIC, Detachment 2/66 Training Squadron, NAS Pensacola, Fla.
4. October 2007 - October 2009, Test Parachutist, 418th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
5. October 2009 - October 2013, Wing SERE Program NCOIC, Wing Weapons and Tactics Flight Chief, 35th Operations Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
6. October 2013 - June 2016, Flight Chief, Bravo Flight; Field Training Operations Superintendent, 22nd Training Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
7. June 2016 - August 2018, PACAF SERE MAJCOM Functional Manager, HQ Pacific Air Forces, JBPH-H, Hawaii
8. August 2018 – July 2019, J3 & AFELM Senior Enlisted Advisor; SERE Program Manager, HQ U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
9. July 2019 - March 2021, Superintendent, 90th Operations Group, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
10. March 2021 – June 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 100th Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
11. June 2022 – Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Nuclear Deterrence Operations Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Joint Meritorious Unit Award Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Recognition Ribbon

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1999 USAF Basic Training Honor Graduate
1999 SERE Specialist Training Cadre Award
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School
2006 Air Education and Training Command Master Instructor
2010 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 35th Operations Group
2012 John l. Levitow Award, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2013 SERE Specialist Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, U.S. Air Force
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 35th Fighter Wing
2015 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 22nd Training Squadron
2015 Distinguished Graduate, USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2016 SERE Specialist Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Pacific Air Forces

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 1 June 2018

(Current as of July 2022)