Chief Master Sergeant Cheronica V. Blandburg is the Command Chief for the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. She serves as the principal advisor to the wing commander on all matters and concerns for 3,600 active‐duty Airmen, civilian personnel and family members. Additionally, she is the primary enlisted advisor on matters of force utilization, readiness, morale, welfare, and quality of life. She ensures the wing’s Airmen expertly prepare U.S. and Allied aviation forces for combat while ensuring all are ready to deploy in support of global operations and prepared to enable the staging of forces to promote U.S. interests in the Indo‐Pacific region.
Chief Blandburg was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi and enlisted in the Air Force in May 1998. She graduated from the Command and Control Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi in September 1998. She has performed a myriad of leadership roles at the squadron, group, wing, and major command level. Her assignments include tours in Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Global Strike Command, United States Air Forces in Europe, and Pacific Air Forces Command. She has been stationed in Nevada, Louisiana, Korea, Italy, Germany, Honduras, Illinois, North Dakota, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Additionally, she has deployed to United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Afghanistan in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Freedom Sentinel.
Prior to her current position, Chief Blandburg served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan.
EDUCATION
2002 Airman Leadership School, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
2002 Associate Degree Information Systems Management, Community College of the Air Force Gunter Annex, Ala.
2008 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2010 Basic Inspector Course, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
2011 Nuclear Surety Inspectors Course, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
2013 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course 2013 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2014 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course
2014 Joint Nuclear Command & Control Course, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
2016 Bachelor of Psychology, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
2016 USAFE Nuclear Command & Control Course, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2017 USAFE Nuclear Manager’s Course, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2018 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
2023 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, The University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Kenan‐Flagler Business School
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1998 – July 1998, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. July 1998 – September 1998, Student, Technical School, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss
3. September 1998 – September 2001, Emergency Actions Controller, 57th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
4. September 2001 – February 2005, Senior Controller, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.
5. February 2005 – February 2006, Air Mobility Control Center Controller, 731st Air Mobility Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
6. March 2006 – March 2009, NCOIC, Command Post Training & NCOIC, Reports, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy
7. April 2009 – April 2010, NCOIC, Joint Operations Center, Joint Task Force‐Bravo, 612th Air Base Squadron, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras
8. April 2010 – September 2010, Flight Chief, 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
9. September 2010 – January 2014, Command and Control Inspections Manager, Office of the Inspector General, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
10. January 2014 – May 2016, Superintendent, Command Post & Wing Staff Agencies, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
11. June 2016 – March 2018, Superintendent, Command Post & Wing Staff Agencies, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy
12. March 2018 – June 2019, Squadron Superintendent, 702d Munitions Support Squadron, Büchel Air Base, Germany
13. June 2019 – December 2020, Group Superintendent, 52d Munitions Maintenance Group, Spangdahlem Air Base Germany
14. December 2020 – June 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 48th Operations Group, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
15. June 2022 – May 2024, Command Chief, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan
16. June 2024 – Present, Command Chief, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Senior Airman Below‐the‐Zone
2007 31st Fighter Wing, United States Air Forces Europe Command Post Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2012 Air Mobility Command, Inspector General Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 01 August 2017
(Current as of 7 June 2024)