LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Effective leaders seek honest feedback. Col. Charles Brown, 19th Airlift Wing commander, received just that when the entire Team Little Rock Chief’s Group interrupted a staff meeting Feb. 1, 2017, here.
Brown, sitting at the head of the table, listened anxiously as more than 20 chief master sergeants stood to offer their critiques.
“You get out there and busts knuckles with the Airmen, you are in their work centers,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jeremy Grider, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “You really get to know your Airmen.”
After all of the positive feedback was given, Grider, offered the wing commander negative feedback. Calling Brown to the front of the room, the chief informed him he was not following uniform regulations.
Grider along with the youngest Airman in the room, helped Brown correct his discrepancies. They presented him with a new Airman Battle Uniform blouse, the sleeves a little heavier this time. The collar was still dressed with colonel rank, but his sleeves carried the rank of chief master sergeant.
Brown’s eyes glossed in humbleness as he saw the chevron on his sleeve.
Since the establishment of the chief master sergeant rank in 1959, Brown is 1 of 10 individuals to ever receive the prestigious title of Honorary Chief at Little Rock AFB. He is also the first of the 19th Airlift Wing.
“With every decision he makes he asks ‘What’s the lift on the Airmen?’, ‘How does it increase morale?’ or ‘How does it impact their families?’”Grider said. “Those are the qualities we look for in a chief.”
During his time here, Brown has foot stomped the importance of TLR Airmen by stating, from the front gate to the flightline and everywhere in between, every Airman is a Combat Airlifter.
“He’s bolstered community partnerships, energized the total force concept and has put the combat back in Combat Airlift,” Grider said.
Team Little Rock Airmen train day in and day out to be prepared to answer the nation’s call.
Active duty, reserve, guard and retired chief master sergeants congratulated the newest chief to the group with hugs and handshakes.
“Little Rock AFBs first Honorary Chief was Brigadier General Alfred Hansen in 1982 who later rose through the ranks to attain 4-stars,” Grider said. “That speaks for itself for honorary chiefs we’ve selected here.”