Chief Master Sergeant Derek S. Hirshfield is is the Acting Command Chief Master Sergeant at the 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. In this position, he advises the Wing Commander, as the base's Air Force Senior Service Component Commander and the staff on matters of health, morale, welfare, training, professional development, and utilization of approximately 7,000 Airmen from five separate Major Commands to include an Air Force Reserve Wing, the Western Area Defense Sector and other Team McChord partners at the Department of Defense's only Army-led joint installations. Additionally, he ensures that Prime Nuclear Airlift forces are mission ready as the sole Department of Defense Airlift Wing tasked to airlift nuclear and nuclear-related cargo. Finally, he ensures the readiness of 40 permanently assigned C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to support worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift and airdrop operations. Chief Hirshfield previously served as Senior Enlisted Leader for the 62d Maintenance Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. In that role he served as the principal advisor to the Maintenance Group commander and senior staff on all matters affecting the readiness, training, professional development of 1,400 active-duty military and civilian personnel. The group partners with the 446th Maintenance Group to maintain, load, and generate 40 assigned C-17 aircraft in support of worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift and airdrop operations. The group also provides 24/7/365 cargo, passenger, and aerial delivery for Joint Base Lewis McChord’s power projection platform, to include operating the Air Mobility Command Passenger Terminal at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Chief Hirshfield enlisted in the Air Force in September 1998 and graduated from the Aerospace Maintenance Apprentice course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas in February 1999. His background includes various positions within aircraft maintenance at the squadron, group, and major command levels with the KC-135, VC-25, C-32, C-40, C-20, C-21, C-37, C-5, C-17, and RC-135. His assignments include locations in Washington, Maryland, Illinois, Turkey, United Kingdom and has deployed in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL. Prior to his current position, the Chief was the Senior Enlisted Leader, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
EDUCATION
2002 Airman Leadership School, Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala. 2011 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course
2011 Airframe and Powerplant Certification, Federal Aviation Administration
2012 Associates in Applied Science, Aircraft Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force 2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course
2014 Professional Managers Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2015 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala.
2018 Bachelor of Science, Logistics & Management (Summa Cum Laude), Park University, Parkville, Mo. 2021 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala.
2023 Group Senior Enlisted Leader Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2023 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. September 1998-October 1998, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1998-February 1999, Student, KC-135 Aircraft Technical Training School, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. February 1999-May 2006, Aero Repair Journeyman, 92d Maintenance Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
(November 2000-February 2001, Aero Repair Journeyman, 363d Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
(June 2002-September 2002, Aero Repair Journeyman, 363d Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Prince Sultan AB, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
(March 2003-May 2003 Aero Repair Craftsman, 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory)
(November 2003-January 2004, Aero Repair Craftsman, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
(June 2004-September 2004, Aero Repair Craftsman, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
(February 2005-May 2005, Aero Repair Craftsman, 376th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan)
4. May 2006-September 2011, Air Force One Flying Crew Chief, Presidential Logistics Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
5. October 2011-July 2013, Air Force One Dedicated Crew Chief, Presidential Logistics Squadron, JB Andrews, Md.
6. July 2013-May 2014, C-21 Weapon System Manager, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. May 2014-July 2014, C-20, C-37 Weapon System Manager, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. July 2014-September 2017, VC-25, C-32, C-40 Weapon System Manager, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
(January 2017-July 2017 Squadron Superintendent, 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron, Abdullah Al Mubarak AB and Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
9. October 2017-October 2018, Maintenance Superintendent, 728th Air Mobility Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey
10. October 2018-June 2019, Accessories Flight Chief, 62d Maintenance Squadron, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
11. June 2019-March 2020, Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent, Lead Production Superintendent, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
12. April 2020-August 2020, Maintenance Operations Chief Enlisted Manager, 62d Maintenance Group, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
13. September 2020-March 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 95th Reconnaissance Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
14. March 2022-May 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
15. May 2023- Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 62d Maintenance Group, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash. (April 2024-Present, Acting Command Chief, 62d Airlift Wing, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three silver oak leaf clusters and “V” device Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 89th Airlift Wing Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Thomas N. Barnes Crew Chief of the Year
2015 Air Mobility Command Headquarters Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2018 521st Air Mobility Operations Group Lieutenant General Lew Allen Jr. Trophy
2018 Air Mobility Command Senior Noncommissioned Officer Maintenance Professional of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class September 2, 1998
Senior Airman January 2, 2001
Staff Sergeant August 1, 2002
Technical Sergeant April 1, 2008
Master Sergeant May 1, 2012
Senior Master Sergeant October 1, 2016
Chief Master Sergeant May 1, 2020
(Current as of June 2024)