Photo By Shane Hughes | U.S. Air Force Col. Nathaniel Church, deputy commander of the 178th Wing, commands the...... read more read more
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A new command chief assumed authority of the 178th Wing during a ceremony Saturday at the Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base.
Chief Master Sgt. Jacquita Melton relinquished authority as the wing’s senior enlisted leader to Chief Master Sgt. Charles Hansel.
Melton served as the 178th Wing’s command chief for two and a half years. During that time, she advised the wing commander and deputy commander on the needs of the airmen and helped lead the wing through an Air Combat Command readiness inspection where the wing scored in the top five percent of all ACC wings.
“This is the perfect end to my career,” Melton said. “It was my purpose to serve and give back and see others win. When I took on the command chief role, that became my mantra. That’s my purpose: the airmen.”
Hansel also stressed the importance of focusing on the airmen and helping them to grow and develop, both personally and professionally.
“Our junior corps, right now they’re eager for more development opportunities, and I want to help implement some of those initiatives,” Hansel said.
Hansel enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1998 as an electronic warfare systems specialist. Over the course of his career, he deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in support of operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Air Defense of the Arabian Gulf, Freedom Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and Resolute Support. Previously, he served as the senior enlisted leader for the 178th Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Group prior to assuming his new role as the 178th Wing command chief.
“I’m a people first leader,” Hansel said when asked about his leadership philosophy. “You can’t do the mission without the people. So, we have to take care of our airmen first. I lead through building relationships with them, building a connection with them, and building understanding.”
The ceremony signified the transfer of authority and responsibility from one command chief to the next.
The 178th Wing provides ready units to conduct Persistent Attack, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Battle Management and Agile Combat Support to execute federal and state missions while maintaining an active involvement with the local community.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.06.2025 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 547414 |
| Location: | SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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