Chief Master Sergeant Heriberto Diaz is the Command Chief, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In this capacity, Chief Diaz serves as the senior enlisted leader and principal advisor to the commander on readiness, welfare, professional development, and efficient management of over 2,300 Airman. The Air Mobility Operations Wing provides command and control, en route maintenance support, aeromedical evacuation, and air transportation services for theater and strategic air mobility missions in Europe, Southwest Asia, and Northern Africa spanning across 21 geographically separated squadrons, detachments and operating locations in support of USTRANSCOM, USEUCOM, USAFRICOM, and USCENTCOM combatant command engagements.
Chief Diaz is from Playas, New Mexico and enlisted in the Air Force in 1995. He has served in various duties in Munitions Maintenance and Operations Intelligence. Chief Diaz has a vast experience in the joint environment, with a background in Security Cooperation. His broad range and depth of expertise includes weapons research and development, 24hr indications and warning operations, targeting analysis, Threat to Air Operations analysis, Airborne Intelligence analysis onboard the E-8C/JSTRS, and Defense Department airborne ISR operations management. Additionally, Chief Diaz directed combat operations training for 22 Latin American countries in direct support of US SOUTHCOM priorities. Furthermore, Chief Diaz served as Commandant at Erwin Professional Military Education Center overseeing joint enlisted leadership development. Chief Diaz has deployed on multiple occasions in direct support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION:
1994 Associates Degree, Applied Science, New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, New Mexico
1999 Airman Leadership School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2000 Associates Degree, Munitions Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Associates Degree, Communications Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2003 Bachelors of Science, Social Psychology, Park University, Parkville, Missouri (Suma Cum Laude)
2008 Masters of Science, Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Washington D.C (Cum Laude)
2009 NCO Leadership School, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida (Distinguished Graduate)
2010 USAF SNCO Academy (correspondence)
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course (correspondence)
2011 Community College of the Air Force Professional Manager Certification Program
2012 U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy (Fitness Award Recipient)
2013 Air Force Senior Enlisted ISR Master Skills Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2017 Command Chief Candidate Course, Washington D.C.
2017 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course (SELO), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. 1995 - 1997, Storage Crew Member, 18th MUNS, Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan
2. 1997 - 1998, Precision Guided Munitions, 412th EMS, Edwards AFB, California
3. 1998 - 2003, Indications and Warning Watch Supervisor, 90TH IOS, Lackland AFB, Texas
4. 2003 - 2004, Target Development Analyst, 8th FW, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
5. 2004 - 2007, Threat to Air Operations Analyst, NASIC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. 2007 - 2008, Graduate Student, National Intelligence University, Washington D.C
7. 2008 - 2012, Flight Chief and Operations Superintendent, 12th ACCS, Robins AFB, Georgia 8. 2012 - 2015, Superintendent, JFCC-ISR, USSTRATCOM, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington D.C.
9. 2015 - 2017, Superintendent, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
10. 2017 - 2018, Commandant, Erwin PME Center, Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan
11. 2018 - Present, Command Chief, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Enlisted Aircrew
Total Flight Hours: 1497 / 1147 Combat Hours
Aircraft: E-8C JSTARS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
1997 Gen Leo Marquez Maintenance Professional of the Year, 18th FW, Kadena AB, JA
1998 Lone Star Award Recipient, 315th TRS, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2001 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 90th IOS, Lackland AFB, TX
2002 Ambassador to the city of San Antonio, HQ Air Intelligence Agency, Lackland AFB, TX
2002 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 90th IOS, Lackland AFB, TX
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Combat Targeting Course, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2004 8th Fighter Wing NCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Kunsan AB, Korea
2004 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, NASIC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2005 Air Force NCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Level 1
2006 Directorate NCO of the Year, NASIC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2006 Lance P. Sijan recipient, NASIC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2007 Directorate NCO of the Year, NASIC, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2009 Distinguished Graduate, Airey NCO Academy, Tyndall AFB, FL
2010 ACC SNCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Level 1
2011 461ST ACW SNCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Level 1
2011 12th ACCS Air Intelligence Technician of the Year
2012 Fitness Award Recipient, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, Petaluma, CA
2013 USSTRATCOM SNCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Level 1
2014 USSTRATCOM SNCO Outstanding Intelligence Professional of the Year, Level 1
2014 USSTRATCOM SNCO of the Year & 12 Outstanding Airman of the Year Nominee
PUBLICATIONS:
“The Power of the Thumb Drive; Computer Forensics on the Battlefield,” (Classified), NIU
“Changing Resources to the JSTARS and its Implications to the Warfighter,” (Classified), NIU
“Utilization of Airborne SIGINT Platforms to Enable Offensive Cyber Capabilities,” (Classified), NIU
“Downgrading the Baseline Classification of RQ-4 Global Hawk Imagery,” (Classified), NIU
(Current as of November 2018)