So Ya Wanna Be THE Chief?!

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.

RETIRED CMSgt Joe Bogdan!

Joe Bogdan is a leadership educator, speaker, and lifelong student of self-mastery. He serves as Chief Learning Officer for Connecting Heads to Hearts (C2H), helping organizations develop leaders who align what they know in their heads with how they show up from their hearts. He also works as a Strategic HR Business Partner for a Fortune 200 company, where he supports senior leaders and organizations in building strong cultures and high-performing teams. Joe spent more than two decades serving in the United States Air Force, where he led teams across multiple career fields and developed a deep appreciation for the responsibility leaders carry. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to helping people grow into the leaders they are capable of becoming, not just in title, but in character. Joe wrote Better Has No Finish Line: Waypoints on the Lifelong Pursuit of Self Mastery and Leadership to challenge the idea that growth has a finish line. Drawing on lessons from military service, leadership development, and personal reflection, the book offers practical waypoints for anyone committed to becoming better in life and leadership.

RETIRED CMSgt Daniel Hall III!

Chief Dan Hall returns as RETIRED Chief Dan Hall! Recently retired Chief Hall shares his thoughts on the transition process that all Chiefs eventually go through and how he handled, and is handling, it.