Chief Master Sergeant Carolyn A. Russell is the Command Chief, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. In this capacity, she is the commander’s principal enlisted leader, supporting the readiness and effective utilization of more than 5,400 Air Force, joint, and coalition forces as well as 55 mission partners at the largest composite wing within the Middle Eastern theater of operations. The 379 AEW encompasses airlift; aerial refueling; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and aeromedical evacuation assets which support operations INHERENT RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD, PROSPERITY GUARDIAN, and POSEIDON ARCHER. Chief Russell also serves as key advisor to the commander on all health, morale, welfare, training, quality of life, professional development, and effective resources allocation matters.
CMSgt Russell is a native of San Diego, California, and enlisted in the Air Force in July of 2000, as a Maintenance Production Manager. Her background includes time in Professional Military Education as an Airman Leadership School Instructor and various positions within the Maintenance and Logistics Enterprise. She has served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for Maintenance Operations, Aircraft Maintenance, Maintenance Squadron, and the A4 Staff. Her previous assignments include bases in Arizona, North Dakota, Republic of Korea, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Delaware. She has deployed in support of Operations Inherent and Deliberate Resolve. Prior to assuming her current position, she served as the Command Chief, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.
EDUCATION
2005 Airman Leadership School, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
2007 Associates Degree, Maintenance Production Management, Community College of the Air Force
2009 Occupational Instructor Certificate, Community College of the Air Force
2010 Associates Degree, Instructor of Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2011 Bachelor of Science, Occupational Education and Management, Wayland Baptist University
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 USAF Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2014 Professional Manager’s Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2014 Master of Business Administration and Management, Wayland Baptist University
2015 Master Resiliency Training Certificate, Joint Base, McGuire, N.J.
2016 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2022 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Society for Human Resource Management, Certified Professional, Alexandria, Va.
2024 Africa - Regional Seminar, Alan L. Reed and Associates, Capitol Hill, Washington D.C.
2024 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2025 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Flatter, UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
2025 Mid-East Asia - Regional Seminar, Alan L. Reed and Associates, Capitol Hill, Alexandria Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
December 2000 - April 2004, Maintenance Scheduler, 310th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
April 2004 - August 2006, Egress Scheduler, 56th Component Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
August 2006 - August 2008, NCOIC Scheduling, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
August 2008 - August 2012, ALS Instructor, 56th Force Support Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
August 2012 - February 2015, NCOIC, B-52 Maintenance Scheduling, 5th Maintenance Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
February 2015 - February 2016, Section Chief, Maintenance Scheduling, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
February 2016 - October 2016, Maintenance Operations Superintendent, 69th Maintenance Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
October 2016 - December 2018, Maintenance Operations Superintendent, 4th Maintenance Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
December 2018 - December 2019 Superintendent, 335th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
December 2019 - December 2020, Chief Enlisted Manager, 2d Maintenance Operations, Barksdale AFB, La.
December 2020 - October 2021, Superintendent, 2d Maintenance Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
October 2021 - June 2022, 2R Functional Manager, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
June 2022 - June 2025, Command Chief, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
June 2025 - Present, Command Chief, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 - Airman of the Year, 756th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2005 - John L. Levitow, Airman Leadership School, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2006 - Maintenance Support Professional of the Year, 56th Component Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2007 - Maintenance Support Professional of the Year, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2011 - Instructor of the Year, 56 Mission Support Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2012 - John L. Levitow, Mathies NCO Academy, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2013 - NCO of the Year, 5th Maintenance Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
2014 - Summa Cum Laude Graduate Honors, Wayland Baptist University, Texas
2015 - Lance. P Sijan Leadership Award, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
2015 - SNCO of the Year, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
2016 - Pacific Air Forces Maintenance Manager of the Year
2018 - Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 4th Maintenance Group Staff, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
(Current as of June 2025)