So Ya Wanna Be THE Chief?!

CMSgt (Ret) Martha Dunning

Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Martha Dunning served as the Chief Enlisted Manager of Air, Space and Information Operations A3 Directorate for First Air Force Air Forces Northern, Air Forces Space, Tyndall AFB, FL upon her retirement in May 2026. She was the lead Functional Area Manager for all Battle Manager Operators in the Continental North American Aerospace Defense Command Region Enterprise. Chief Dunning entered the Air Force in June of 2001 and was assigned as a Battle Management Operator (BMO) at the 337 Air Control Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base FL where she helped build the next generation of battle managers for the United States and partner nations.

CMSgt Patrick Cone

CMSgt Patrick Cone is the Senior Enlisted Leader, 372d Recruiting Group, Riverdale, Utah. He is the primary senior enlisted advisor to the commander for operation effectiveness, readiness, and professional development. He also manages and directs resource activities; interprets and enforces policies and applicable directives to meet mission requirements. Additionally, he oversees and advises on the health, morale, welfare, and qualify of life for all assigned personnel within the geographically separated unit, which includes eight Enlisted Accessions Recruiting Squadrons and one Officer Accessions Recruiting Squadron spanning 314 recruiting offices, 24 states and the Pacific Rim, encompassing over 4.1 million square miles.

CMSgt (Ret) Darrius Smith!

Darrius T. Smith, widely known by his nickname “Smitty,” is a military veteran, visionary leader, and the architect of the revolutionary ST4Y READY Blueprint for authentic leadership. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Darrius forged a distinguished twenty-five-year career in the United States Air Force. Smitty’s leadership style is rooted in purpose-driven leadership and a growth mindset. His “win from within” mantra inspires individuals and teams to maximize their performance. His ultimate passion is guiding individuals to drop the debilitating mask of perfection and to lead with radical authenticity.

Lieutenant Colonel Gilberto Perez!

Lt Col Gilberto “Coach” Perez is a senior cyber and technology leader with 19 years of experience driving U.S. Air Force IT enterprise operations, digital transformation, and cyber workforce development. As Deputy Commander of the 690th Cyberspace Operations Group, he helps lead 1,900 personnel delivering secure global connectivity to hundreds of thousands of users across more than 180 countries. Over his career, he has served as a squadron commander twice, Presidential Communications Officer supporting two White House Administrations, and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Lt Col Perez is passionate about developing people and building high-performance teams to achieve meaningful results. He holds degrees from the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Tampa, Air University, and Army University, and is a doctoral student in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California. Upon retiring from active duty in July 2026, he will continue developing the next generation of leaders as a non-profit board member, author, speaker, and cross-sector collaborator.

CMSgt (Ret) Bryan Tuman

Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Bryan Tuman grew up in southern Minnesota and entered the Air Force in the spring of 1993. Upon graduation from Basic Training, he attended the Air Force Medical Service School at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. Chief Tuman’s contributions across the Air Force include assignments as a Professional Military Education Instructor, First Sergeant, and Command Chief Master Sergeant.