Command chief goes “back to school” to pass on experience to next generation of senior enlisted leaders Published Oct. 22, 2018 By Dan Hawkins Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas—It has often been said that knowledge is power and a command chief master sergeant from Air Education and Training Command is taking his education, training and experience directly back to school to pass on that experience to the next generation of senior enlisted leaders. Chief Master Sgt. George Richey, 47th Flying Training Wing command chief at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, is moving to become part of the faculty at the Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, which is a part of Air University. “To ensure the lethality of our future leaders to meet the needs of our Air Force, we require the right leaders with breadth of experience and time in grade as a chief in the CLC classroom to groom our chiefs,” said command chief of AETC, Chief Master Sgt. Julie Gudgel. “In doing this, we've opened the door for graduated command chiefs to join the cadre of the CLC to pass on all the knowledge they have gained being out in the field leading Airmen.” The first graduated command chief to join the CLC faculty was Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Stiles about two years ago, said Gudgel. Stiles is now the Air University Barnes Center command chief and Air Force Senior Non Commissioned Academy commandant at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. According to the CLC website, the mission of the course, which is the capstone and pinnacle level of enlisted professional military education, is to provide chief master sergeants the education to bridge operational-to-strategic perspectives of the Air Force. As a result of this Executive Level Experience (ELE), strategic-level leaders will be equipped to inspire, effectively lead, manage and mentor our present day and tomorrow’s Airmen.