Photo By 2nd Lt. Joshua Colligan | 131st Bomb Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Jason Henke exchanges a salut with 131st...... read more read more
After 20 years of hard work, a Missouri National Guard Airman is finally living his dream.
On Aug. 7, Chief Master Sgt. Jason Henke became the 131st Bomb Wing command chief master sergeant.
“A command chief should lead other chiefs and superintendents. That is chief Henke,” said 131st Bomb Wing commander Col. Matthew Calhoun. “When the wing needed a new senior enlisted leader, Chief Henke absolutely fit the mold of command chief - leader, mentor of airmen, leader of chiefs and shirts, and the expertise to ensure the command makes the best decisions for execution for all of our missions across the state of Missouri and around the globe.”
The new position comes after decades of focused effort.
"I've always had the mindset of, 'If you tell me I can't do it, I'm going to find a way,' " he said. "I wanted to build relationships. I wanted to expand my horizons and really understand what other people did, and get to know them."
In order to do that, he needed to take on additional duties and eventually grow beyond his initial career field as an intelligence collection management specialist, which, he said, isn't always easy to accomplish. He sought out additional duties and new positions prepared him to become a chief master sergeant.
Henke earned his chief stripe in October 2019 as the 157th Air Intelligence Squadron senior enlisted leader. He became the 131st Mission Support Group (MSG) chief master sergeant a year later.
"I had always had aspirations for command chief, but I felt it was important that I experienced other groups in the wing before that happened," he said. "My time in MSG, understanding what all the support agencies do, it makes this job much easier because I can actually be in the room and speak intelligently about what everything that people do across this wing. I think that's important."
Twenty months later, he put on his command chief star.
"It's humbling every day to walk in here and wear the star, be in the room with Col. Calhoun and our group commanders and group senior enlisted leaders," Henke said. "It's humbling. It's a lot of responsibility, and it's a no-fail kind of deal."
Henke is excited for the challenges that await him, and he knows the responsibilities he inherited will keep him busy.
"There's so much going on, and it's because of the great work of the men and women of the 131st. if they weren't so good at their job, we wouldn't be as integrated with our partners as much we are."
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2022 16:12 |
| Story ID: | 426730 |
| Location: | WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 280 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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