Chief Master Sergeant Ralph E. Oliver is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He is the primary advisor to the Commander on all issues affecting the health, welfare, morale, training, development, and utilization of more than 4,000 enlisted Airmen. The wing's mission includes planning, posturing, and executing precision strike, specialized mobility and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The wing employs more than 78 aircraft, including the AC-130J, MC-130J, U-28A, PC-12 and MQ-9. These capabilities support a variety of special operations missions including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations and information operations.
Chief Oliver is from Columbus, Ohio, and enlisted in the Air Force in 1996 as a Pavement and Construction Equipment Apprentice. His background includes various roles within Civil Engineering and Paralegal career fields. Chief Oliver has served as a First Sergeant and has held senior enlisted positions at squadron, wing, Major Command and Headquarters Air Force Staff. He has deployed in support of Operations JOINT GUARD, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM, and completed overseas tours in the United Kingdom, Guam and Germany.
EDUCATION
2001 Airman Leadership School, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kadena Air Base, Japan (Distinguished Graduate)
2011 Associate Degree, Construction Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2011 Associate Degree, Paralegal Studies, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course (correspondence)
2012 First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala. (Commandant Award Recipient)
2013 Community College of the Air Force Professional Manager Certification Program
2014 Associate Degree, Human Resource Management, Community College of the Air Force
2014 U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, Petaluma, Calif.
2015 Naval War College, Primary Enlisted PME Course (correspondence)
2016 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management, Ashford University, San Diego, Calif. (Summa Cum Laude)
2018 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2021 USAF Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Inc, Washington D.C.
2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Command Chief Candidate Course, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
2022 Summit Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2023 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Africa Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Inc, Washington, D.C.
2024 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kegan-Flagler Business School, UNC Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1997 - April 1999, Heavy Equipment Operator, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (October 1997 –
January 1998 Deployed to Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina)
2. April 1999 - July 2000, Heavy Equipment Operator, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam
3. July 2000 - August 2006, Heavy Equipment Operator, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (January 2005 – May
2005, Deployed to Al Udeid, Qatar)
4. September 2006 - June 2007, NCOIC, Tort and Operational Law, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
5. July 2007 - September 2008, Assistant NCOIC, Military Justice, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
6. October 2008 - September 2009, NCOIC, Military Justice, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla. (February 2009 - August 2009, Deployed NCOIC of Logistics, United States Central Command, Joint Task Force FOIA, Camp Victory, Iraq, and Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
7. October 2009 - December 2009, NCOIC, Law Office, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
8. December 2009 - December 2010, NCOIC, Military Justice, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
9. December 2010 - October 2011, NCOIC, Law Office, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
10. October 2011 - May 2012, Superintendent, Protocol, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
11. May 2012 - December 2012, Superintendent, Law Office, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
12. January 2013 - April 2014, First Sergeant 45th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley Eustis, Va.
13. April 2014 - July 2014, First Sergeant, 10th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley Eustis, Va.
14. July 2014 - August 2015, First Sergeant, 633d Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Langley Eustis, Va.
15. August 2015 - July 2016, Superintendent, Law Office, 633d Air Base Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
16. July 2016 - June 2017, Superintendent, Law Office, United States Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
17. June 2017 - February 2019, Command Paralegal Manager, HQ USAFE, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. February 2019 - March 2020, Paralegal Career Field Manager, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
19. March 2020 – July 2021, Senior Paralegal Manager to The Judge Advocate General, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
20. July 2021 - June 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 423d Air Base Group, RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom
21. June 2022 - June 2024, Command Chief, 352d Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
22. July 2024 - Present, Command Chief, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with a silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Air Force Special Duty Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 48th Civil Engineering Squadron
2005 Commander in Chief Excellence Award
2008 Paralegal Craftsman Course, Distinguished Graduate
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Distinguished Graduate
2010 Outstanding SNCO Paralegal of the Year, Karen Yates-Popwell Award, 13th Air Force
2011 Outstanding SNCO Paralegal of the Year, Karen Yates-Popwell Award, 13th Air Force
2012 Commandant Award, First Sergeant Academy
2014 CMSgt Fred Archer Military Award (Tuskegee) SNCO of the Year, 480th ISR Wing
2014 First Sergeant of the Year, 633d Air Base Wing
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 1 November 2017
(Current as of July 2024)