Retired Chief Master Sergeant Craig A. Adams was the Senior Enlisted Leader for United States European Command. In addition to advising the commander on enlisted issues, he provides leadership to the 82,000 joint service members distributed over 400 bases and facilities in an area of responsibility covering 51 countries. His guidance on theater security cooperation promotes enlisted professional development, through training and education in order to build partner nations’ capacity and improve inner-operability. He serves as a mentor for senior enlisted in the European footprint to include: U.S. service components; partner nations within NATO; and Partnership-for-Peace countries.

Chief Adams grew up in Tiffin, Ohio, and entered the Air Force in June 1987. His diverse background includes numerous leadership positions at squadron, group, wing, direct reporting unit, task force, numbered Air Force and major command levels. He has significant joint service experience and has deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Enduring Freedom. Before assuming his current position, he served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He assumed his current position Aug. 14, 2013.

EDUCATION

1989 Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory School, Charleston AFB, S.C.

1994 Dynamics of International Terrorism, U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

1997 Cross Cultural Communications Course, U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

1998 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Keesler AFB, Miss.

2002 U.S. Air Force Chief Host Aviation Resource Management Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.

2002 Associate’s Degree in Airport Resource Management, Community College of the Air Force

2004 U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2004 Air Mobility Warfare Center Academic Instructor Course, Fort Dix, N.J.

2006 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2007 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, Touro University, Cypress, Calif.

2008 Graduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership, Touro University International, Cypress, Calif.

2009 Air Force Enterprise Management Seminar, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C.

2009 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

2009 Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leadership Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

2010 AFSO21 Executive Leader Seminar, University of Tennessee, Nashville, Tenn.

2011 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force

2012 Commander Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

2012 U.S Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1987 – July 1987, trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX

2. August 1987 – September 1987, student, Operations Resource Management Specialist Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.

3. October 1987 – August 1992, Operations Resource Management Specialist, 17th Military Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. (August 1990 – March 1991, Flight Follower, 1680th Airlift Control Squadron (Provisional), Riyadh AB, Saudi Arabia

4. August 1992 – May 1995, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Current Operations, Location Data Masked

5. May 1995 – October 2001, Chief, Operations Support Management, Additional Duty First Sergeant, Location Data Masked

6. October 2001 – May 2004, Superintendent, Aviation Resource Management/Combat Operations and Plans; Squadron Superintendent, Location Data Masked

7. May 2004 – June 2006, Superintendent, Aviation Resource Management System Training Branch, U.S. Air Force Mobility Operations School, Air Mobility Warfare Center, Fort Dix, N.J.

8. June 2006 – September 2007, Superintendent, 305th Operations Support Squadron (January 2007 – May 2007, (Interim) Superintendent, 305th Operations Group), McGuire AFB, N.J.

9. September 2007 – February 2009, Command 1C0X2 Functional Manager, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. (August 2008 – January 2009, Superintendent, 451st Air Expeditionary Group, Kandahar, Afghanistan)

10. February 2009 – October 2010, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, Travis AFB, Calif.

11. October 2010 – October 2011, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

12. November 2011 – September 2012, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 3rd Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany

13. September 2012 – August 2013, Command Chief Master Sergeant, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany

14. August 2013 – Present, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster

National Defense Service Medal with one star

Southwest Asia Service Medal with two stars

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two stars

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

NATO Medal

Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with gold palm

Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION

Chief Master Sergeant Dec. 1, 2006