Chief Master Sgt. Brion P. Blais currently serves as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, United States Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the command chief, he is the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all matters affecting the readiness, training, professional development and effective utilization of more than 21,000 enlisted force personnel. Additionally, he coordinates with the headquarters staff, commanders, and senior personnel on development and implementation of command policy and direction.
As the air component senior enlisted leader to both United States European Command and United States Africa Command, the chief champions and directs enlisted theater security engagement efforts, as well as building partnership capacity in an area of responsibility comprised of 104 countries across 19 million square miles.
Chief Blais is from Bellevue, Wash., entering the Air Force in May 1994 and graduating training at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) in March of 1995. Throughout his assignments he has filled numerous positions from the Flight to Major Command and has deployed to multiple locations in support of world-wide wartime and contingency operations. Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Blais was the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center located at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
EDUCATION
1997 Joint Nuclear EOD, Sandia National Laboratories, N.M.
1997 FBI/OSI Post Blast Analysis, Holloman AFB, N.M.
1999 Airman Leadership School, RAF Feltwell, England
2000 Advanced EOD, Indianhead Naval Ordnance Station, Md.
2001 Advanced Access and Disablement, Indianhead Naval Ordnance Station, Md.
2007 Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2007 Associates degree in Applied Sciences through the Community College of the Air Force
2008 Advanced Improvised Explosive Devices, NAVSCHOLEOD, Eglin AFB, Fla.
2009 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education
2011 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2013 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2015 Senior Leader Nuclear Management, Air Force Center for Unconventional Weapons Studies
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
2016 Leadership Enhancement Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2016 Bachelor of Science in Management/Human Resources (Summa Cum Laude), Park University, Mo.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II
2017 Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course, National Defense University, Suffolk, Va.
2018 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Wash. D.C.
2019 Africa Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Wash. D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1994 – June 1994, Trainee/student, Basic Military Training and EOD Preliminary Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. July 1994 – October 1994, Naval School EOD Phase I, Eglin AFB, Fla.
3. October 1994 – February 1995, Naval School EOD Phase II, Indianhead Naval Ordnance Station, Md.
4. February 1995 – January 1998, EOD Equipment Maintenance Specialist, 49th Civil Engineer Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. January 1998 – March 1999, EOD Journeyman, 51st Civil Engineer Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea.
6. March 1999 – March 2006, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Training, Supply and EOD Support Element, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
(August – December 2000, EOD Team Member, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
(November 2003 – March 2004, EOD Team Leader, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar with forward deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan and Tallil Air Base, Iraq)
(January 2005 – May 2005, EOD Team Leader, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar with forward deployment as Flight Chief to 40th CEG, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory)
7. March 2006 – March 2010, EOD Flight Chief, 341st Civil Engineer Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
(August 2006 – January 2007, EOD Flight Chief, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
(November 2007 – May 2008, EOD Senior Noncommissioned Officer in Charge Operations, Combined Joint Task Force Troy, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
(December 2008 – May 2009, EOD Operating Location Alpha, Senior Noncommissioned Officer in Charge Operations, Combined Joint Task Force Paladin, Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan)
8. March 2010 – July 2013, HQ ACC/IG EOD Inspector, then Superintendent, EOD Flight, 633d Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
(July 2010 – January 2011, EOD Operating Location Charlie, Flight Superintendent, Combined Joint Task Force Paladin, Forward Operating Base Deleram II, Afghanistan)
(April 2012 – October 2012, EOD Operating Location Delta, Flight Superintendent, Combined Joint Task Force Paladin, Forward Operating Base Leatherneck, Afghanistan)
9. July 2013 – December 2014, Superintendent 96th Civil Engineer Group, Eglin AFB, Fla.
10. January 2015 – April 2016, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center & 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11. May 2016 – May 2017, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 502d Air Base Wing & Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
12. May 2017 – July 2019, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
13. July 2019 - Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1996 Promoted to Senior Airman Below-the-Zone
2005 U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Maj. Gen. Lupia Military Technician
2005 Air Force Association “Citation of Honor”, RAF Lakenheath, England
2007 John L. Levitow Award, NCO Academy, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2008 Air Force Space Command, Chief Master Sergeant Daniels Military Superintendent
2008 SNCO of the Year, 341 Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, M.T.
2011 Lance P. Sijan Award, HQ Air Combat Command Inspector General Directorate
2011 Distinguished Graduate, SNCO Academy
2014 Air Force Materiel Command, Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Ahearn Enlisted Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant December 2013
(Current as of July 2019)