Chief Master Sergeant Christopher Murphy is the Command Chief, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. In this capacity, he is the commander’s principal enlisted leader, supporting the readiness and effective utilization of more than 7,800 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 379th 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 Murphy also serves as key advisor to the commander on all health, morale, welfare, training, quality of life, professional development, and effective resources allocation matters.
Chief Murphy entered the Air Force in September 1999. He graduated from the Security Forces Technical Apprentice Course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in February 2000. His Security Forces background includes various duties at the unit, major command, and Headquarters Air Force levels. He retrained and graduated from the Operations Intelligence Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas in June 2011. As an intelligence analyst, he has supported Special Operations Units for the Theater Special Operations Command, and has served as a Squadron Operations Superintendent, Wing Intelligence Superintendent, and as a full time Squadron additional duty First Sergeant. Chief Master Sergeant Murphy also served overseas in Germany, and deployed to various locations in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, OBSERVANT COMPASS, JUNIPER SHIELD, and INHERENT RESOLVE. Prior to his current assignment, Chief Master Sergeant Murphy served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.
EDUCATION
2004 Airman Leadership Course, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2005 Associates in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force
2006 Associates of Arts in General Studies, University of Phoenix
2009 Bachelor of Science degree in Management, University of Phenix
2010 Master of Management, University of Phoenix
2012 Associate in Applied Science degree in Intelligence Studies & Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course
2014 First Sergeant Symposium Graduate, Cannon AFB, N.M.
2014 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2014 Joint Special Operations Fundamentals Correspondence Course, Joint Special Operations University
2016 Senior Enlisted ISR Master Skills Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II Correspondence Course
2017 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.
2019 United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.
2021 Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, NCO Leadership Center of Excellence, Fort Bliss, Texas
2022 Basic Army Instructor Badge, NCO Leadership Center of Excellence, Fort Bliss, Texas
2023 Instructional Design Basic Course, NCO Leadership Center of Excellence, Fort Bliss, Texas
2023 USAF Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 USAF Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Senior Army Instructor Badge, NCO Leadership Center of Excellence, Fort Bliss, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 2000 – September 2001, Security Response Fire Team Member, 509th SFS, Whiteman AFB, Mo (November 2000 – February 2001, Security Forces Member, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
2. September 2001 – April 2005, Antiterrorism Officer, USAFE Elite Guard, Ramstein AB, Germany
3. May 2005 – September 2007, Security Forces Evaluator, 435th SFS, Ramstein AB, Germany (June 2006 December 2006 Tactical Operations Center NCOIC, 886 ESFS, Camp Bucca, Iraq)
4. September 2007 – October 2009, Personal Security Specialist, PRP & Presidential Support Adjudicator, Air Force Central Adjudication Facility, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C.
5. October 2009 – September 2010, Personal Security Officer to the Secretary of the Air Force, Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon
6. September 2010 – June 2011, Team Chief, Customer Support, Air Force Central Adjudication Facility, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C.
7. June 2011 – November 2011, Student, Operations Intelligence Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
8. November 2011 – January 2018, Squadron Operations Superintendent, 56th SOIS, Cannon AFB, N.M. (January 2013 May 2013, Joint Special Operations Air Detachment, Uganda J2; October 2014 – May 2015, Joint Special Operations Air Component Africa, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Cell NCOIC, Stuttgart, Germany; October 2015 – March 2016, Joint Special Operations Air Detachment, Burkina Faso, Senior Enlisted Leader)
9. January 2017 – July 2019, Superintendent ISR Operations & Analysis Division, Directorate of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Headquarters PACAF, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
10. July 2019 – July 2020, Superintendent, 8th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
11. July 2020 – July 2021, Superintendent, Global Exploitation Intelligence Group, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
12. July 2021 – June 2023, Instructor, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas
13. June 2023 – June 2024, Command Chief, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra AB, UAE
14. June 2024 – Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 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 clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 HQ USAFE Special Security Squadron Security Forces Flight Amn of the Year
2003 HQ USAFE Special Security Squadron Security Forces Staff Amn of the Year
2004 Leadership Award; Kapaun Air Station Airman Leadership School
2004 HQ USAFE Elite Guard, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2005 DoD Best AT/FP Program
2005 568th SFS Staff NCO of the Year
2006 435th SFS Outstanding SFS Staff NCO of the Year
2009 SAF/AA Hap Arnold Recipient
2009 SAF/AA Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2010 STEP promotion to Technical Sergeant
2010 SAF/AA Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2011 AETC Commander's Top Graduate Award, Operational Intelligence Apprentice Course
2012 Honor Graduate, AFSOC IFTU
2012 John L. Levitow Award, Lackland AFB Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2012 27th Special Operations Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2013 27th Special Operations Wing Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance NCO of the Year
2014 Distinguished Honor Graduate, Joint Special Operations University
2014 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron Junior Enlisted Lance P. Sijan Award
2014 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2014 27th Special Operations Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2014 27th Special Operations Wing Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance SNCO of the Year
2015 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2015 27th Special Operations Group Professional Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2015 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron Senior Enlisted Lance P. Sijan Award
2017 Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex SNCOA
2017 CMSgt Bobby G. Renfroe Commandant Leadership Award, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex SNCOA
(Current as of May 2024)