Chief Master Sergeant Ted R. Braxton, Jr. is the Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing (U.S. Africa Command) Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Chief Braxton provides leadership to the first and only air wing in Africa. The wing is composed of 1,700 personnel, two groups, 10 squadrons and four austere airfields. The wing provides secure, reliable, and flexible power projection platforms employing tactical airlift, personnel recovery/casualty evacuation, base operations support, and direct logistics management; as well as providing battlefield and expeditionary Airmen capable of responding to humanitarian and contingency operations around the world in support of combatant commanders. Additionally, Chief Braxton is charged with developing combat-ready Airmen, caring for deployed families, plus protecting and enhancing resources. He also liaises with the Army and Air Force Exchange Services and Defense Logistics Agency.
Chief Braxton was born and raised in Jennings, Louisiana, where he enlisted in the Air Force in January 2000. Chief Braxton's background includes numerous deployed and garrison duties within the squadron, group, wing, major command and combatant command levels. Throughout his career, Chief Braxton's leadership experience is amplified as he has filled a myriad of roles, serving as command Inspector General of complaints and resolutions, additional First Sergeant, sexual assault victims advocate, general officer executive, postal and protocol duties. Chief Braxton also completed numerous overseas tours. His joint service experience was instrumental in supporting multiple operational deployments supporting Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Freedom's Sentinel, Afghanistan Resolute Support and East Africa's Horn of Africa command missions.
Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Braxton served as the Senior Enlisted Leader, 449th Air Expeditionary Group, Camp Lemonnier, Republic of Djibouti, and the Commandant for U.S. Cyber Command, Maryland.
EDUCATION
2005 Airman Leadership School, Kapuan Air Station, Germany
2008 Associates in Applied Science Degree, Information Management, CCAF
2009 Associates of Arts in Management Studies, University of Maryland University College, Maryland
2011 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapuan Air Station, Germany
2011 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of Maryland University College, Maryland
2012 Senior Noncommissioned Distance Learning Course, Air University
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2014 Department of Defense, Sexual Assault Prevention Certification
2015 Professional Manager Certification, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
2018 Air Force Protocol Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
2021 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Andrews AFB, Maryland
2021 Master of Business Administration, University of Maryland Global Campus, Maryland
2023 Wing Command Team Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
2023 Africa Seminar Demographics, Resources and Governance
2023 Senior Leader Security Seminar, AFOSI, Virginia
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2000 – August 2000, Basic Military Training/Technical Training, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
2. September 2000 – May 2002, Information Manager, 7th Maintenance Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
3. May 2002 – July 2003, Information Manager, 55th Airlift Flight, Osan Air Base, South Korea
4. July 2003 – July 2004, Postal Specialist, 2nd Air Postal Squadron, Detachment 2, Istanbul City, Turkey
5. August 2004 – December 2005, Postal Specialist, 469th Group, Rhein-Main Air Base, Frankfurt, Germany
6. January 2006 – August 2009, Mail Control Activity Team Leader, 2 Air Postal Squadron, Det. 1, Frankfurt International Airport, Germany 1. (Army deployment: October 2006 – July 2007, Postmaster & JMMT lead, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, 411th Company, Balad AB, Iraq) 2. (Deployed: May 2008 – October 2009, Mail Control Activity, International Airport, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
7. September 2009 – September 2010, NCOIC, Sexual Assault Prevention Response, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, South Korea
8. September 2010 – August 2013, Section Chief Knowledge Operations, 86th Communications Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 3. (Deployed: October 2012 – May 2013, Admin Section Chief, 386th Communications Squadron, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
9. September 2013 – April 2015, Enlisted Executive, Directorate of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
10. May 2015 – October 2016, Superintendent, Postal Operations, Air Postal Squadron, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
11. November 2016 – September 2017, Superintendent, Complaints and Resolutions, Inspector General, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
12. October 2017 – August 2019, Superintendent, Wing Staff Agencies & 3F5 Base Functional Manager, 2d Bomb Wing, Barksdale, AFB, Louisiana 4. (Deployed: October 2018 – April 2019, 451st Group Staff Superintendent & Protocol Chief, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan)
13. September 2019 – June 2021, Commandant, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland
14. July 2021 – July 2022 (Deployed/365), Senior Enlisted Leader, 449th Air Expeditionary Group, Camp Lemonnier, Republic of Djibouti, East Africa
15. August 2022 – March 2023, Commandant, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland
16. April 2023 – Present, Command Chief, 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2013 Outstanding 3D0 SNCO of the Year, United States Air Force Europe Command
2014 Lance P. Sijan Award Senior Enlisted Nominee, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces Command
2014 Air and Cyber Space Directorate SNCO of the Year, Pacific Air Forces Command
2015 Chief Master Sergeant Fred Archer SNCO of the Year, Pacific Air Forces Command
2015 Administration Information Dominance SNCO of the Year, Pacific Air Forces Command
(Current as of January 2024)