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Kirksey selected as AFRC command chief

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alexy Saltekoff
  • Air Force Reserve Command public affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A reservist with 25 years of military service has been selected as the next command chief master sergeant for Air Force Reserve Command.

Chief Master Sgt. Cameron B. Kirksey, currently the command chief for the 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., replaces Chief Master Sgt. Kathleen Buckner at Headquarters AFRC.

Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson, chief of Air Force Reserve and AFRC commander, selected Kirksey for the top enlisted spot in the command.

"I am very privileged that after an extremely thorough interview and selection process, General Jackson had the confidence and trust in my capability and capacity to select me as the AFRC command chief," Kirksey said. "For that, I am both humbled and honored. "

A native of Silas, Ala., Kirksey enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in March 1988. His background is in the logistics career field, specializing in fuels management. He spent most of his career at Maxwell AFB, Ala., rising from a fuels specialist to becoming the 908th Airlift Wing command chief. He transferred to Homestead ARB in June 2011, to fill the command chief billet at the 482nd FW.

Kirksey said his first priority is to sit down with Jackson and learn his expectations and to get an understanding of his intent, objectives, goals and policies.

As the top enlisted leader for one of the Air Force's largest major commands, Kirksey is keenly aware of the responsibilities that await him.

"I'm not a one-man show; from key positions in the private sector to leadership positions in the command, I believe that facilitating leadership and building teamwork is how to get the mission accomplished efficiently and effectively," he said. "Contrarily, I will make the hard call and stand by my decision when the buck needs to stop at me."

Kirksey said the job is about leadership.

"In the words of Gen. Colin Powell, 'Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.'

"Again, I am truly grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity," Kirksey said. "I look forward to being the eyes, ears and voice of our enlisted ranks to General Jackson, and I want every Airman who is a part AFRC to know that I am extremely honored to serve them as their senior enlisted leader."