Chief Master Sergeant CHRISTOPHER M. HOWARD

CMSgt Christopher M. Howard is the Command Chief for the 960th Cyberspace Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Chapman Annex, Texas. He represents the highest level of enlisted leadership in the only cyberspace wing in the Air Force Reserve Command, which involves advising the commander on the matters influencing the health, morale, welfare, and effective utilization of more than 1300 personnel assigned to 17 direct reporting units. The missions of these units include defensive cyber-operations (DCO); combat communications; command & control of cyber operations and DCO – Response Actions (DCO-RA); CONUS wide communication infrastructure management; cyber defense analysis; DCO, DCO-RA, network operations; Initial Qualifications Training for cyber across eight weapons and dynamic support to Offensive Cyber Operations.

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, then as the Mission Assurance Superintendent, and finally as the Squadron Superintendent of the 379th Space Range Squadron. In 2018 he was selected as squadron superintendent of the 426th Network Warfare Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Prior to his current position, Chief Howard was the 960th Cyberspace Operations Group Senior Enlisted Leader.

Chief Howard has also deployed worldwide in support of United States European Command, Central Command, Indo-Pacific Command, Africa Command and Northern Command contingency operations and exercises.

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.
2021 Business Management and Human Resources Management Bachelor’s Degree, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, Ut
2023 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA

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 – Jan 2021, Group Superintendent, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Chapman Training Annex, Texas
  17. Jan 2021 – January 2023, Group Senior Enlisted Leader, 340th Flying Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph, Texas
  18.  January 2023 – present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 960th Cyberspace Wing, JBSA-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

(Current as of May 2023)