Photo By Staff Sgt. Reanna Hartgrove | U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Tavis J. Delaney, 118th Air Support Operations...... read more read more
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NEW LONDON, N.C. - After receiving the Silver Star for valor during a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, Senior Master Sgt. Tavis J. Delaney made a deliberate choice to continue serving—not just in uniform, but as a mentor, strategist, and innovator working to advance the U.S. Air Force.
Now, as the Tactical Air Control Party superintendent at the 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, Delaney leads squadron operations and organizational alignment. In addition to his military duties, he also serves as an independent consultant for the Joint Staff under the Coalition Interoperability Assurance and Validation organization and as a Mission Director at the Combat Air Forces Distributed Training Center (CAF DTC). These civilian and military roles, he says, are not separate but deeply intertwined.
“Being a superintendent grounds me,” Delaney says. “It keeps me in the fight with Airmen, making sure things are done right at the tactical level, while my other roles let me zoom out and assess whether we’re doing the right things strategically.”
As a consultant, Delaney travels globally to assess special operations organizations, helping to align their capabilities with real-world mission demands. At CAF DTC, he builds, executes, and debriefs complex mission simulations involving multiple Air Force units. These responsibilities require him to maintain a firm grasp of both policy-level vision and hands-on execution, which is something he attributes to his experience as a senior enlisted leader.
“I think that’s a unique aspect the Guard provides,” explains Delaney. “As a traditional guardsman, I am still doing the job and maintaining all code qualifications requisite for my unit manpower document, so when I’m talking to national-level leaders, I can give insight on the challenges that the guys on the ground are actually running into.”
Delaney, who holds a master’s degree in war studies, says his academic background as a conflict scholar also complements his operational work.
“The Guard gives me the unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge and practical leadership in real time,” he said.
It’s a synergy that fuels his ongoing commitment to the force. Balancing his multiple responsibilities hasn’t come without challenge. Delaney speaks about the strain of managing multiple careers but he remains focused on staying grounded, leading with purpose, and ensuring that the Air Force is equipped to meet future threats.
Ultimately, each of his roles, whether in the squadron or briefing senior leaders, feeds the other. It’s this dual perspective, shaped by experience, education, and personal conviction, that allows Delaney to push the Air Force toward greater readiness and resilience.
The Silver Star, while a monumental moment of recognition, became a turning point for Delaney, not a conclusion. Rather than step back, he chose to lean in, using his platform to improve the Air Force and guide others.
“I didn’t want the award to be the peak,” he said. “I wanted to use the placement access granted from that to pour into everybody I possibly could to help them get to a level of competency to be successful.”
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2025 13:15 |
| Story ID: | 547338 |
| Location: | NEW LONDON, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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