Courtesy Photo | Chief Master Sgt. Richard Dawson and chief petty officers assigned to U.S. Space...... read more read more
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Chief Master Sgt. Richard Dawson, command reserve senior enlisted advisor, U.S. Space Command, is a man with a bigger-than-average smile and a laugh to match. And as someone that has earned the title of “chief” three different times in his military career, he has learned a few things about leadership. During an interview prior to his retirement, Dawson shared some of the lessons he’s learned along the way.
Born in Concord, California, surrounded by cattle ranches and farms, his upbringing took him across the globe, exposing him to military life from a young age. His father served in the Navy during the Vietnam War before joining the Air Force, moving the family to duty stations across the U.S. and Germany for 27 years.
Dawson’s military roots run deep. He recalls listening to his uncle’s stories from World War II and the Korean War while looking through his journal and Army patches. His family’s military ties trace back to the 11th century, during the reigns of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson, and William the Conqueror.
“Our family was knighted at the Battle of Hastings in 1066,” Dawson said. Since then, he noted, “We’ve had someone serve in a military service, whether it’s been a foreign service in the early years or in America with the founding of the country.”
A Career Shaped by Mentorship
Dawson began his 36-year career as a Radar, Airfield & Weather Systems technician at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. As a young airman, he met Master Sgt. Louis Torres, a Vietnam veteran who became his first mentor.
“I was afraid of him. He was mean, but only because I was a young airman who did foolish things,” Dawson said. “There were times I could have faced non-judicial punishment, but Master Sgt. Torres didn’t push me down that path. Instead, he course-corrected me. I painted a lot of rocks, and I polished a lot of brass, but he would always take the time after to talk to me.”
Torres taught Dawson the value of mentorship, a lesson he carried throughout his career. Dawson believes every service member, regardless of rank, should have a mentor to turn to for guidance.
“Even today, as a chief master sergeant and senior enlisted advisor … I still have mentors.”
He said Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons, command senior enlisted leader, U.S. Space Command; Chief Master Sgt., Retired Conrad Dawes, and others have helped him when he didn’t have the answers. He added, having a mentor throughout your career is important.
Simmons said that Dawson’s long history of mentorship has helped develop USSPACECOM forces into warfighters who are ready to face their adversaries with skill and determination to win the fight.
“Chief Dawson’s efforts to prepare the future of our warfighting force are exceptional and enduring. He is truly a leader who cares not just about the individual service member, but also deeply cares about our force being combat ready. His mentorship across the board to our enlisted, officers and civilian teammates gives us credibility not just as a combat capable force, but a combat-competitive force. I am eternally grateful to him for the decades of mentoring he has given to our members, and directly to me, to ensure the development of our space operators and our space operations, and to ensure our forces will be ready to shape, secure, and sustain space superiority. Aim-High and Semper Supra to a true space warfighter!”
Leadership and Growth
Dawson learned that leadership is a skill that must be honed to navigate the differences among people and serve those you lead.
“As you climb the rank structure, the responsibility of not just taking care of yourself, but also … others comes.” he said. “Learning how to navigate people’s differences—that’s maturation. You start to understand things from a different point of view and figure out how to help people with whatever situation they’re in.”
Dawson, a career Airman, gained additional insight as a senior enlisted leader as he became among a select group of joint service members who have attended the Navy’s Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Initiation Season, a demanding multi-week professional development program for selected first class petty officers transitioning to the chief petty officer rank. He said the experience helped shape his leadership, and he credits the program for teaching him the importance of being a leader and the responsibility it carries.
“The Navy has a magic inside the Chief Petty Officer mess.”
He went through the program while he was assigned to USSPACECOM, highlighting the jointness of the command and willingness to hone his skills as a joint warfighter.
“Understanding our sister service’s professional development adds to our kit bag and helps us become better warfighters. Iron sharpens iron,” said Dawson.
Dawson said he chose to go through CPO Initiation also as a tribute to his father’s service in the Navy. He added, although he was not required to go through the initiation, he did so to lead from the front and to learn about Navy processes.
A Risky Decision
In 2020, Dawson faced a pivotal moment in his career. After not becoming a command chief, he returned to Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command as Chief of Nuclear Operations. Unsure of his next steps, he received a call from his friend and mentor, Dawes, asking for help.
“My buddy, Chief Conrad Dawes, was standing up a unit and asked if I’d be willing to take off my stripe and help him,” Dawson said.
The position in question was intended to be filled by a senior master sergeant, not a chief master sergeant. After discussing it with his wife, Dawson took a self-demotion to senior master sergeant to stand up the 428 Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron. The decision eventually led him back to being a chief master sergeant and achieving what he was told he never would.
During this time, he learned valuable lessons as a senior noncommissioned officer, including the critical role they play in the development and success of junior troops. He hopes junior troops understand that senior NCOs are not just authority figures but mentors who shape the future of the military by instilling values and guidance through ‘hard earned wisdom.’
“We help shape the legacy of those below and above us,” he said.
The experience humbled him, teaching him resilience and a new way to communicate.
Mentorship Under Pressure
Dawson’s commitment to mentorship was tested when he helped a seasoned struggling chief petty officer who was on the verge of suicide after returning from a tough deployment to Iraq. The Sailor was engaging in some risky behaviors, abnormal from his previous spotless record.
“I spent five and a half hours talking him down,” Dawson said. “I immediately helped him get the resources he needed and told him his job was to get his life in order … I became his shadow.”
Dawson also testified on the chief petty officer’s behalf at his admiral’s mast (a disciplinary proceeding) reliving his own combat experiences to save the Sailor’s career.
“I knew he had made a mistake, but I also knew this was a good Sailor, a solid Sailor.”
The Sailor has since retired, is still married, and now has a successful career.
Dawson said, “When we make decisions, we must take the individual and their current state into account.”
A Mentor That Inspires
Dawson’s longtime mentee, Tech Sgt. Jewel Newsome, section chief, Commander Support Staff, 820th Intelligence Squadron, said she met Dawson when she was an airman first class and added that the lessons he taught her then, still help her today.
“I remember him telling me the first thing he wanted me to do was memorize all of the Air Force-specific medals so if I was to walk by someone in their Blues, I could tell them about their career just from their ribbon rack. Not only has that assignment served me well in my current position as a CSS Section Chief but the work ethic I’ve developed from that first assignment has stuck with me all of these years,” Newsome said. “To this day, I remain steadfast with saying I wouldn’t have gotten this far in my Air Force career without the leadership and mentorship Chief Dawson offered. His style is very unique and one that I’ve always appreciated because he’s always made it known that he was genuinely willing to help.”
Another one of his mentees, Tech Sgt. Brandi Hildebrand, Joint Integrated Space Team, USSPACECOM, echoed Newsome’s sentiment saying Dawson welcomed her from day one, adding that he was always available to offer advice about her career and personal choices.
“There’s no doubt Chief Dawson has made an impact to every person he’s met. I have told my coworkers several times that Chief Dawson is the best person I’ve met in the military,” Hildebrand said. “He truly cares about all people and works tirelessly to ensure he’s taking care of service members.
Advice for Young Troops
Dawson encourages young service members to embrace their role in the military and never give up. He cited Winston Churchill to emphasize this point, ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.’
“I have been in this business for 36 years, deployed 15 times to combat zones and witnessed numerous challenges. The United States military is the best fighting force in the world … Remember that you are a warrior. Have the physical, mental, and spiritual stamina to carry on, even in the most arduous of times. Live by the mantra ‘Never Give Up’.”
Dawson retired from the U.S. Air Force on December 2, 2025.
Help is Available
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. Contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1, chat live, or text 838255. You can also reach out to your command chaplain or mental health professionals.
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2025 16:32 |
| Story ID: | 552737 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 227 |
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