CMSgt Antonio L. Cooper is the Command Chief Master Sergeant at the 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He is the senior enlisted leader and primary advisor to the commander in all matters concerning the readiness, training, operations, professional development, health, morale, welfare, and quality of life for Airmen across the installation. The wing is responsible for installation operations, security, maintenance, medical care, and mission support for 25,000 military and civilian employees, 27,000 retirees, and 20,000 family members who live and work on Kirtland's 52,000 acres. Kirtland is the fifth largest base in the United States Air Force. The wing is the host for 108 mission partners and operates the United States only dedicated Intercontinental Ballistic Missile test organization for current and future capabilities of the nation's force. Elite weapons and tactics development and missile test launches are developed and executed locally and at geographically separated locations in Utah and California.
Chief Cooper grew up in Stapleton, GA, and entered the Air Force in 1999. He began his career as an Aircraft Armament Specialist, training, evaluating, and certifying weapons and load crews. He then retrained into Airfield Management overseeing day-to-day airfield operations at a variety of tri-service, joint and bilateral installations. His assignments include South Carolina, Republic of South Korea, Florida, New Jersey, Japan, North Carolina, and Mississippi. Chief Cooper has been involved in operations: SOUTHERN WATCH, NEW DAWN, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NOBLE EAGLE, and COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE – HORN OF AFRICA.
Prior to his current position, he was the Command Chief, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
EDUCATION
1999 Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
1999 Aircraft Armament Systems, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2001 Airman Leadership School, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2005 Airfield Management Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2009 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyndall AFB, Fla
2010 Associate of Aviation Management Degree, Community College of the Air Force
2013 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education., by correspondence
2014 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala
2015 Bachelor of Arts in National Security Studies, Ashford University, Clinton Iowa
2017 Joint Transition Course, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Station, Va
2017 JPME-II, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Station, Va
2018 Chief Orientation Course, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II., by correspondence
2021 Global/Regional Course, Middle East and South Asia, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2021 Professional Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace, University of South Florida
2022 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 Resilient Leadership Course, Harvard Business School., by correspondence
2023 Senior Leader Nuclear Management (Nuclear 400), Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2023 Air Force Strategic Leader Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1999 – April 1999, Trainee, 325th Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. April 1999 – July 1999, Student, Aircraft Armament System Specialist, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. August 1999 – July 2001, Load Crew Member, 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
(September 1999 – December 1999, Load Crew Member, 94th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Southwest Asia)
4. August 2001 – July 2003, Wing Weapons Standardization Member, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
5. July 2003 – May 2004, Weapons Lead Crew Member, 25th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
6. June 2004 – April 2005, Wing Weapons Standardization Member, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
7. April 2005 – December 2009, NCOIC, Airfield Management, 45th Operations Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla.,(September 2006 – March 2007, Deputy Airfield Manager, 379th EOSS, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
8. December 2009 – August 2013, Deputy Airfield Manager, 4th OSS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
(February 2011 – September 2011, Deputy Airfield Manager, 332d EOSS, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
(October 2012 – April 2013, Airfield Manager, 405th Expeditionary Group, Thumrait AB, Oman)
9. September 2013 – July 2014, Flight Chief, 422d Joint Tactical Squadron, U.S Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base-McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
10. July 2014 – December 2016, JB Superintendent of Airfields and Superintendent, 305th OSS, JB-MDL, N.J.
11. December 2016 – June 2019, Superintendent, 35th Operations Group and Airfield Manager, Misawa AB, Japan
(October 2018, Senior Enlisted Leader, Joint International Exercise RED FLAG-Alaska 19-1, Eielson AFB, Alaska)
12. June 2019 – June 2021, Superintendent, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
(May 2020 – July 2020, Interim Command Chief, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.)
13. July 2021 – May 2023, Command Chief, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss
14. May 2023 – Present, Command Chief, 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Recognition Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Air Combat Command, Weapons Safety Award of Distinction
2007 Air Force Space Command, Airfield Manager NCO of the Year
2010 NCO of the Year, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB
2011 Air Combat Command, Airfield Manager NCO of the Year
2011 United States Air Force, Airfield Manager NCO of the Year
2014 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award nominee, 422d Joint Tactical Squadron, JB-MDL, N.J.
2016 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award nominee, 4th OSS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2017 Chief Master Sgt. Fred Archer Award nominee, Misawa AB, Japan
2017 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award nominee, Misawa AB, Japan
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant June 1, 2018
Current as of November 2023