Chief Master Sergeant Heath T. Tempel is the Command Chief 435th Air Ground Operations Wing (EUCOM) and the 435th Air Expeditionary Wing (AFRICOM), Ramstein Air Base, Germany. These specialized wings provide battlefield and expeditionary Airmen to combatant commanders and are capable of responding to humanitarian and contingency operations throughout the world. The two wings are comprised of 5 groups, 23 squadrons and more than 2,700 personnel across 13 installations in Germany, Italy and Africa. Specific areas of expertise include tactical air control-party, battlefield weather, air base opening and operations, command and control, aerial port, aircraft maintenance, security, theater-wide communications, personnel recovery and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. As the command chief, Chief Tempel is responsible for the health and welfare, professional development, training and combat readiness, discipline and effective utilization of the organization's enlisted personnel.

CMSgt Tempel entered the Air Force in December of 1996 and completed technical training in September of 1997. By 2001 he had earned the title of EOD Team Leader and promptly deployed to stand up Al Udeid Air Base. Since then, he has deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan, accumulating over 3000 hours outside the wire and overseeing the elimination of more than 500 improvised explosive devices.

EDUCATION:
1997 Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, Indian Head Naval Station, Maryland
2001 Airman Leadership School, Moody Air Force Base, GA
2008 Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Elmendorf Air Force Base, AK
2008 Senior Enlisted Joint Enlisted PME
2009 Associates in Applied Science, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Community College of the Air Force
2011 Professional Manager’s Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Gunter Annex, AL
2012 Squadron Superintendent’s Course, AFIT, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH
2015 AFSOC Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2015 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Randolph AFB, TX
2016 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint PME II

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Dec 1996 – Jan 1997, Basic Military Training School, Lackland AFB, TX

2. Jan 1997 – Feb 1997, EOD Preliminary Course, Medina Annex, TX

3. Feb 1997 – Apr 1997, Joint Service EOD School – Phase I, Eglin AFB, TX

4. Apr 1997 – Sep 1997, Joint Service EOD School – Phase II, Indian Head NS

5. Sep 1997 – Jun 2007, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Craftsman, Moody AFB, GA

6. Jun 2007 – May 2012, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight Chief, Eielson AFB, AK

7. May 2012 - Oct 2012, Acting First Sergeant, 354 Civil Engineer Squadron, Eielson AFB, AK

8. Oct 2012 – Aug 2014, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Superintendent, Cannon AFB, NM

9. Aug 2014 – Dec 2015, Superintendent, 27 Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

10. Jan 2016 – July 2017, USAFCENT Chief of EOD Forces and USAFCENT Shaw SEL, Shaw AFB, SC

11. July 2017 – Present, Command Chief, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing/435th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein AB, GE

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
2001 Flight Commander, Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School, Moody AFB, GA
2004 347th Civil Engineer Squadron NCO of the Year, Moody AFB, GA
2006 347th Mission Support Group NCO of the Year, Moody AFB, GA
2008 Flight Leader, Distinguished Graduate and Commandant’s Award, NCO Academy, Elmendorf AFB, AK
2008 Pacific Air Forces 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year (NCO)
2009 Fairbanks, Alaska, Chamber of Commerce Honored Military Member of the Year
2009 Designated Careerfield Representative, Air Force Team of the Year, Washington D.C.
2011 Lance P. Sijan Award (11th AF)
2011 Gerald Stryzak Award for Best EOD Flight (PACAF)
2012 Distinguished Graduate and Squadron Commandant’s Award, SNCO Academy, Gunter Annex, AL
2012 Tuskegee Airmen Fred A. Archer Leadership Award (354th FW)
2012 Gerald Stryzak Award for Best EOD Flight (Air Force)
2013 Chief Master Sergeant Larry R. Daniels Award, Outstanding CE Superintendent (AFSOC)
2014 Lance P. Sijan Award (AFSOC)
2014 MG Robert H. Curtin Award, Best Small Civil Engineer Squadron (USAF)
2015 Major General Joseph A. Ahearn Enlisted Leadership Award (AFSOC)

DECORATIONS:
Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Navy Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Air Force Outstanding Airman Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Chief Master Sergeant December 2014

(Current as of June 2017)