Three Ellsworth Airmen earn highest enlisted rank

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shanda L. De Anda
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Senior Master Sgts. Larry Osborne, William Miller and Edward Horsch were selected out of Ellsworth's 21 eligibles for the rank of chief master sergeant Nov. 14.
 
Air Force-wide, 16.8 percent, which is 416 out of 2,476 eligibles, were selected to become the next chief master sergeants braved a rigid selection process to reach the highest enlisted rank. The process considered several areas and required potentials to take the weighted airman promotion Air Force supervisory examination and have their military career thoroughly scrutinized through a review of official military records. 

Becoming a chief master sergeant requires excellence, determination and perseverance, but it isn't necessarily the aspiration of the Airmen who achieve it during their first weeks or months in the Air Force.
 
"The thought of aspiring to the rank of (chief) did not occur to me until after my attendance to the NCO preparatory course ... today's Airman Leadership School," said Sergeant Miller, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron airframe power plant general section chief. "The in-residence prep course opened my eyes, mind and network up to other viewpoints, cogs and people. Bottom line, I started to learn the bigger picture of the wing mission and that is what sparked my interest in making the military a journey with an established goal to earn the rank of chief one day."
 
Sergeant Horsch, Air Force Financial Services travel division chief, agreed. "When I first entered the Air Force, I was uncertain if I would make it a career. Once I decided that this was the way to go, I focused on working hard and improving myself whenever I could."
 
Regardless of initial intentions, these three Airmen sew on their chief master sergeant stripes in January and continue careers as mentors and leaders in the Air Force. Part of that charge includes preparing today's Airman to one day become future leaders, and possibly chiefs. To make that happen, these seniors encourage Airmen to take personal responsibility for their career progression. 

"Study, it does make a difference when testing," said Sergeant Osborne, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group quality assurance superintendent, Southwest Asia. Sergeant Osborne is deployed from the 28th Maintenance Group.
 
"We don't say it enough. You control much of your destiny by picking up your (career development courses) and the (Professional Development Guide)," Sergeant Horsch said. "When it comes right down to it, you control your destiny for staff sergeant through master sergeant. Many of us work hard, but few of us take time to better ourselves through improving our study habits."
 
Taking personal responsibility and improving study habits is only part of the overall picture. Each of these future chiefs acknowledge there were people in their personal and professional lives that helped guide them down the road of success.
 
"The list of people who were the biggest contributors to my success in the Air Force is a long one and includes my father, Lloyd, and mother, Marilyn; Buck Sgt. Childress, my basic military squadron technical instructor; Staff Sgt. Valentine, my first base sponsor; Airman 1st Class Kim Edwards, one of my first trainers; Tech. Sgts. Gerald Lesch and Nicky Nixon, who showed me the ropes; Master Sgt. Robert Fry, who demonstrated flexible leadership; Master Sgt. Jim Tanner, Senior Master Sgt. Frank Shade, Chief Master Sgt. Presley, Chief Master Sgt. Wolfe; and Josephine, my wife, who has kept the home front stable while I worked extended hours, was deployed around the globe, but most importantly who has done a wonderful job raising our children Nathaniel and Justice," Sergeant Miller said.
 
Some contributors to the success of these soon-to-be chiefs weren't afraid to tell them when they weren't stellar performers and offer corrections when needed. 

"I have a few people who put me on the right track in the Air Force ... they are retired Chief Master Sgts. Claire Godbout and Curtis Cheesman," Sergeant Horsch said. "I have many others who helped, but these two really sat me down and held me accountable when I was an Airman," Sergeant Horsch said. "Today, we think that we are hurting someone's career if we counsel them or provide them with direction, even a mark down on their (enlisted performance report).
 
"In fact this is what helped me; without the two above, I know I may not be in the Air Force today. Sometimes the toughest part of being supervisor is holding people accountable. I am sure glad they did."

For more information about promotions testing, visit the AFPC Web site at http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil or access the WAPS catalog by clicking here: WAPS catalog.