Chief Master Sgt. Samuel A. Cole is the Senior Enlisted Leader, 2d Weather Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He ensures the delivery of specialized terrestrial, space, and climatological environmental intelligence to joint warfighters, Defense and State Department decision-makers, national agencies and allied nations for the planning and execution of missions across the spectrum of military operations. His team operates and sustains the Air Force Weather’s $323M enterprise strategic computing complex and production network. He serves as the principal advisor to the Commander for 550 active duty, civil service, and contractor personnel at eight operating locations around the globe. He provides counseling and mentorship to personnel from 12 career fields on training, readiness, career progression, quality of life, morale, and discipline.
Chief Cole entered that Air Force in August of 1994 from Jacksonville, Florida as an Aerospace Ground Equipment (AGE) Apprentice. In 2006 he retrained into the weather career field under the Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program. He has performed duties as AGE Instructor, Base Honor Guardsman and First Sergeant for 96th Civil Engineer Group, 96th Security Forces Squadron and 96th Test Wing Staff Agencies. He has also been Superintendent of the 16th Weather, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support and 62nd Operations Support & 26th Operational Weather Squadrons. He has deployed in support of Operations, SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE.
EDUCATION
1999 Airman Leadership School, Eielson AFB, Alaska
2008 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
2004 Associate of Science degree in Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2005 Associate of Science degree in Instructor Of Technology & Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2008 Associate of Science degree in Weather Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2010 First Sergeant Academy Additional Duty Seminar
2012 First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL
2014 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education
2014 Associate of Science degree in Human Resource Management, Community College of the Air Force
2017 U.S. Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Non-Residence
2018 Professional Manager, Community College of the Air Force
2021 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter Annex, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1994 - October 1994, Basic Military Trainee, 332d Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1994 - February 1995, student, AGE Apprentice Course 361st Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. March 1995 – March 1999, AGE Journeyman, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
4. March 1999 - March 2003, AGE Craftsman, 354th Maintenance Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. March 2003 - November 2006, Instructor AGE Apprentice Course, 361st Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
6. November 2006 – July 2007, student, Weather Forecaster Course, 335th Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
7. August 2007 - January 2010, Weather Forecaster 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona
8. January 2010 - January 2011, Systems & Requirements NCO, 607th Weather Squadron, U.S. Army Garrison, Yongsan,
Republic of South Korea
9. January 2011 - August 2012, NCOIC, Airfield Operations, 46th Weather Flight, Eglin AFB, Florida
10. August 2012 - August 2013, First Sergeant, 96th Civil Engineer Group, Eglin AFB, Florida
11. August 2013 – August 2014, First Sergeant, 96th Security Forces Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida
12. August 2014 - September 2015 First Sergeant, 96th Test Wing Staff Agencies, Eglin AFB, Florida
13. September 2015 - September 2017, Squadron Superintendent, 16th Weather Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
14. September 2017 – December 2019, Weather Flight Chief, 62d Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-
McChord, Washington
15. December 2019 – August 2020, Squadron Superintendent, 62d Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-
McChord, Washington
16. August 2020 – July 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 26th Operational Weather Squadron, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
Air Force Special Duty Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2013 Air Force Material Command, Best Large Civil Engineer Unit
2013 96th Civil Engineer Group First Sergeant of the Year
2013 Air Force Material Command, Best Large Security Forces Unit
2017 Air Combat Command Weather SNCO of the Year
2017 Air Force Weather SNCO of the Year
2021 557th Weather Wing Squadron of the Year