80th FTW Command Chief reflects on 30-year career

  • Published
  • By Dan Hawkins
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Jelks-Browning, command chief for the 80th Flying Training Wing, will retire Nov. 30 after serving 30 years in the Air Force.

Jelks-Browning, who came to Sheppard in June 2009 from Eielson Air Force Base, Ak., took over as the wing's Command Chief after a short stint as the 82nd Medical Group superintendent.

As the chief enlisted advisor to the 80th FTW commander, he is responsible for all matters concerning organizing, training and equipping assigned enlisted personnel, thereby optimizing the effectiveness of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training mission.

The Sheppard Air Force Base Public Affairs office had a chance to sit down with the Chief and talk about the past, present and future as he looks back at his career in the Air Force and his time as the Command Chief.

Question: Can you give us a short overview of your Air Force path?

Jelks-Browning: "To sum up 30 years is really hard. I grew up in Decatur, Ill., and at age 17 I decided to join the Air Force. Being in the Air Force I've done a lot of different things. I started off my career as a morse code operator. I decided to retrain into base ops, better known as airfield management, and then I decided I wanted to reenlist. The Air Force is what I knew, what I loved, so I decided to become a public health technician. I spent nine years in public health, then stepped out to become a military training leader.  I've had a very successful and rewarding career."

Question: Did you have a mentor along the way to becoming a Senior NCO and finally command chief for the 80th FTW?

Jelks-Browning: "I chalk it up to one person, Lt Col. Ken Hall. He taught me things I think I already had ingrained into me, but he taught me how to articulate that, how to identify with that, but more importantly how to articulate that to people who worked with me. He is the first person that helped me identify with being a SNCO."

Question: What were some of your goals when you became a command chief?

Jelks-Browning: "The first goal was "Don't forget you're a chief". I'm a chief serving in a special duty. The second one was to get my arms around what the 80th Flying Training Wing does. We have a very, very unique mission...to be honest I didn't know exactly everything it entailed. We're not like a Vance, Columbus or Laughlin, we are a special entity altogether."

Question: When you look back over the last 30 years, what will you miss the most about being a blue-suiter?

Jelks-Browning: "The first thing is wearing a uniform alongside Airmen. I'm going to miss that. I'd be lying to you and everyone else if I said I wasn't going to miss it. Other than that, I know it's important to be the best Air Force to be the best out there and to maintain our edge and innovation. The most tangible thing I'm going to miss is just wearing the uniform."

Question: So what plans do you have as you enter the civilian world?

Jelks-Browning: "Spending time with my family. It's cliché, but its so true. I missed so many football games and cheerleading contests, just being there for my kids and taking some of the workload off my wife Rhonda. I'm looking forward to that part although I know I need to be careful what I ask for. I realized I don't want to be "that is my father", but "that's my dad". I missed a lot of those opportunities so I look forward to that part."

Chief Browning's future plans including staying in the Wichita Falls area in retirement.  Chief Master Sgt. Tad Cahow will be serving as the interim 80th FTW command chief until a replacement is named and on-station.