355th FW command chief brings leadership, direction

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa Copeland
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 355th Fighter Wing, known for its share of historic leaders who have made an impact on the Air Force, added another to its books June 16.

Command Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Schwenk, and his wife Milane, join the Desert Lightning team after serving as the Commandant of the Airey Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Chief Schwenk, a Detroit, Michigan native, has served in numerous positions in information management, as a military training instructor, a professional military education instructor, first sergeant, commandant and has been assigned to bases in South Dakota, Texas, New Mexico and Florida.

He has also served overseas in Japan, and has deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch, Asia-Pacific exercises and supported numerous other deployments as a first sergeant.

Over the course of his 23-year career, Chief Schwenk has earned the Chief Master Sgt. Fred Archer Tuskegee Airmen Award, the Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, First Sergeant of the Year at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. and for Eighth Air Force, Senior NCO of the Year, Information Manager of the Year and Resource Advisor of the Year. He has also earned the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters in addition to numerous other awards, decorations and achievements.

Each command chief in the Air Force is selected from a command chief list from which commanders can interview and "hire" to serve alongside. Chief Schwenk was contacted by the new 355th Fighter Wing Commander, Col. Paul T. Johnson, who conducted an interview and needless to say, was chosen for the assignment.

"Colonel Johnson and I plan on building on some of the successes that Col. Kent Laughbaum has led the way on," said Chief Schwenk.

One of Chief Schwenk's top priorities is the professional development of all Airmen-officer, enlisted and civilian, as well as their families.

"My main focus is on professional development on and off duty and setting people up for success, which in turn, will set our wing and the Davis-Monthan Desert Lightning team up for success," he said.

With many different styles of leadership, Airmen can rest assured that Chief Schwenk will be a familiar face around the installation.

His main objective he said, will be to provide leadership and management by personally interfacing with Airmen and listening to people. He likes to call it leadership and management by walking around-getting out and about.

"In this day and age of e-mail, it's easy for people to get tied to their computer and try to do leadership and management by e-mail," Chief Schwenk said. "I want to walk around and be with the Airmen of Davis-Monthan to learn about their likes and dislikes, their concerns and how to make this wing, and Davis-Monthan, better."

When asked about his new role as a command chief overseeing more than 4,000 enlisted personnel on D-M, he shared that he has always wanted to be in a position of responsibility and have the opportunity to make a difference and credits his past experiences, plus his previous key leaders, mentors and wife Milane for getting him here today. For that he spoke of being very thankful.

"My professional development throughout my career has brought me to this point in my career progression. That of being a command chief master sergeant, and that of having the opportunity to make a difference." he said.

The command chief shared this message with the more than 4,000 Airmen under his leadership.

"These are turbulent times in the Air Force," Chief Schwenk said. "We've had leadership changes at the senior Air Force level and now closer to home, here at the Wing and squadron levels; I believe our Airmen are looking for some stability. At the end of the day we have great leaders in the Air Force and great Airmen in the Air Force and we just need to build on those successes and have a focus of Air Force core values and Airman's creed in everything we do. I really enjoy seeing the passion and enthusiasm of the Desert Lightning team and I look forward to working with the men and women that make up the Desert Lightning team."