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    Meet the new Command Chief

    Meet the new Command Chief

    Photo By Capt. Andrew Layton | Command Chief Master Sgt. Rick Gordon, 110th Attack Wing, Michigan Air National Guard....... read more read more

    BATTLE CREEK, MI, UNITED STATES

    10.14.2017

    Story by Airman 1st Class Tiffany Clark 

    110th Wing

    Leaders carry the torch of an organization to guide those that follow through troubles and successes. When new leaders take the place of past ones, they agree to carry that torch and build on the groundwork that has already been set for them.

    Chief Master Sgt. Richard Gordon, 127th Wing First Sergeant, will receive the torch of leadership from Chief Master Sgt. Trever Slater as the 110th Attack Wing’s new Command Chief on Oct. 14, 2017.

    Gordon started out as a firefighter for the 927th Air Refueling Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in 1991. He stayed there for three years until being hired as a U.S. Border Patrol agent on the U.S./Mexico border. At this time, he transferred to a unit at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M., where he continued as a drill-status firefighter.

    Although Gordon had a break in service starting in 1998, he rejoined the Air National Guard at Selfridge’s 127th Wing after relocating to the Detroit area to defend the northern U.S. border in 2001.

    “Being that the U.S. Border Patrol is a paramilitary organization, [it] goes hand-in-hand with the Air National Guard,” Gordon said. “It’s just a seamless transition between the two uniforms for me. Currently, my position with the border patrol is Special Operations Supervisor.”

    Gordon’s leadership skills also transfer over to his most recent role as the 127th Wing and 127th Operations Group First Sergeant.

    “In 2009, I became the first sergeant for the 127th Security Forces Squadron, where I had about 42 AGR personnel and another 115 DSG,” said Gordon. “I did that for 3 years. It was a great assignment: I was just one of the guys, taking care of the guys!” In 2013, he became the 127th Wing First Sergeant with concurrent responsibility for the 127th Operations Group.

    Gordon also teaches a class in Homeland Security at Macomb Community College in Clinton Twp. He graduated from Central Michigan University in 1993 with a degree in sociology, then returned to CMU in 2002 to achieve his Master of Science in Administration Degree.

    “I am very passionate about education; that is why I am an educator,” said Gordon, through a smile. “I think education is critical – paramount even – to furthering a person’s potential. The Air Force’s current and future concepts demand Airmen who display critical thinking skills in sometimes very complex situations; education is a conduit to developing and refining those skills.”

    In addition to his busy schedule as a Special Operations Supervisor, first sergeant, and teacher at Macomb Community College, Gordon also has three children and a wife at home.

    “When it comes to staying motivated, I enjoy helping people,” said Gordon. “In every facet I am working in, be it with my family, the border patrol, or while I am teaching, it’s the satisfaction that I get when I feel like I am doing something good that helps people. For me, spending time with my kids and my wife is what I do for fun. I love watching my son wrestle, or my daughters play sports. I love using my downtime to spend quality time with them.”

    When it comes to furthering people, Gordon’s new focus is on the young Airmen of the 110th Attack Wing. As the new Command Chief, he hopes to inspire the junior enlisted force.

    “Chief Slater is an incredible Command Chief, and that is fantastic for me because I am already stepping into a well-oiled machine that’s firing on all cylinders,” said Gordon. “What I want to do is really get engaged and active with the Airmen, ensuring that they have everything they need to continue effectively achieving their mission. I want to connect with the enlisted and cultivate a comfortable place for them to thrive and succeed.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.14.2017
    Date Posted: 10.15.2017 08:50
    Story ID: 251717
    Location: BATTLE CREEK, MI, US

    Web Views: 769
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN