CMSAF enlightens local command chiefs Published Aug. 16, 2007 By Command Chief Master Sgts. Phil Cherry, James Foltz and Tina Long Tinker Air Force Base TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- In late July, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley brought together career field managers, professional military education commandants and command chief master sergeants for the first-ever Senior Enlisted Leaders Summit at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Gunter Annex. In previous years, the CMSAFs hosted a Worldwide Command Chief Master Sergeant conference. This new forum provided an opportunity for senior enlisted leaders that affect Airmen's careers to interface and improve communications. Among the many briefers were Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Morin, the U.S. Central Command senior enlisted leader, and Chief Master Sgt. Todd Small, U.S Central Command Air Forces command chief master sergeant. They told the audience about how impressed USCENTCOM and USCENTAF leaders are with the tremendous contributions our 26,000 deployed Airmen are making to win the Global War on Terror. CMSAF McKinley discussed our Air Force Sponsorship Program. He said we do a great job of transforming civilians into Airmen during basic training and teaching them a skill in technical training, but we don't necessarily do the best job of continuing the transformation process when Airmen arrive at their first duty station. He asked that we take a hard look at our sponsorship programs and get supervisors, NCOICs and other members in the chain-of-command involved since developing and caring for our Airmen and their families is the Air Force's No. 2 priority. We were given a clear vision of recapitalization and the necessity to restructure and modernize our force. We, as senior leaders, face many challenges and opportunities as we shape and lead our most important assets into the future. We are operating in a resource challenged environment so it is critical that we manage effectively and efficiently to ensure we continue to remain the world's premier air and space power.