Chief Master Sergeant Dennis F. Ward Jr. is the State Command Chief for Headquarters, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. He serves as the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all issues affecting mission effectiveness, training, health, conduct, utilization of the force, and quality of life concerning the personnel of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Chief Ward’s scope of responsibility includes both federal and state missions, 4,100 Airmen assigned to three Air Wings and serving at six geographic locations.
CMSgt Ward enlisted in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard June 2, 1992, and was assigned to the 211th Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS), Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville Pennsylvania, completing Cable and Antenna Systems Specialist training in June of 1993 and Emergency Management training June 1999. In 1999 Chief Ward was selected for the newly formed 3rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville Pennsylvania supporting anti-terrorism domestic operations. In 2003 he returned to the 211th EIS as a Cable and Electronics systems Team Chief. CMSgt Ward was selected in 2010 to serve as the Enlisted Management Assistant in the Pennsylvania National Guards Office of The Adjutant General, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, Pennsylvania. He then transitioned to First Sergeant for the 211th EIS progressing to First Sergeant for the 193d Special Operations Wing, which include the 193d Special Operations Group, following this Chief was assigned to the 193d Special Operations Logistics readiness squadron where he served as the Vehicle Management Flight Chief. Following, he was the Mission Support Group Senior Enlisted Leader, 193d Special Operations Wing, Harrisburg International Airport, Middletown PA. In addition, he completed a three-year tour with the Defense Information Systems Agency as a project manager for DOD communication installations. Chief Ward also supported HQ AF A4C (Pentagon, Washington DC) as assistant career field manager for Emergency Management. He has deployed as a Communications Electronics Team Chief, First Sergeant, and Senior Enlisted Leader in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Freedoms Sentinel and Inherent Resolve as well as domestically in a military first responder role for efforts supporting the September 11 attacks.
In his civilian profession, CMSgt Ward has been a government and private sector consultant and most recently worked as a Lead Associate supporting the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering Center as a training development specialist for the Facility Management Office. Prior to his current position, CMSgt Ward served as the NGB A3/10 Operations Directorate Senior Enlisted Leader Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
EDUCATION
1993 Antenna Systems Specialist, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1998 Associate Degree Communication Arts, Pennsylvania School of Art and Design, Philadelphia, Pa.
1999 Emergency Management Specialist, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
2000 J5 United States Army Technical Escort, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
2008 Bachelor of Science Liberal Arts / Homeland Defense Concentration Excelsior College
2011 Air Force First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, Ala.
2012 Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, Ala.
2014 Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.
2015 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2015 Community College of Air Force Degree Applied Science Electronic Systems Technology
2015 Community College of Air Force Degree Human Resource Management
2015 Community College of Air Force Degree Emergency Management
2017 IC Agile Professional Project Manager Certification
2018 Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
2018 Master of Arts in Education / Adult Education and Training, University of Phoenix
2021 Chiefs Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, Ala.
2022 Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by correspondence
2024 Executive Leadership Program in Managing for Inclusion, Georgetown University
2024 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates
2025 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1992 – July 1998, Antenna Systems Specialist, 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.
2. July 1998 – August 1999, Emergency Management Specialist, 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.
3. August 1999 – August 2004, Assistant Operations NCO 3rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, Fort Indiantown Gap Pa.
4. June 2004 – June 2011, Cable and Electronics Specialist, 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa (October
2009 – April 2010 Team Chief, Al Udied AB, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq)
5. September 2011 – October 2013, First Sergeant, 211th Engineering Installation Squadron, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. (June 2010 – September 2011, Enlisted Assistant, PA National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, Office of the Adjutant General, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. / DISA Joint Cyber Installation Program, Project Manager October 2012 – Sept 2013)
6. October 2013 – October 2017, First Sergeant, 193d Special Operations Wing, Middletown, Pa. (DISA Joint Cyber Installation Program, Project Manager October 2013 – Sept 2015 / October 2015 – April 2016, 768 Expeditionary Air Base Squadron Frist Sergeant Niger, Africa)
7. October 2017 – September 2020, Vehicle Management Flight Chief, 193d Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, Middletown, Pa. (August 2017 – October 2017, HAF A4C Assistant Career Field Manager Emergency Management Policy, Doctrine, and Training support)
8. September 2020 – May 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, 193d Special Operations Mission Support Group, Middletown, Pa. (Sept 2023 – April 2024, 332 AEW, 1st Expeditionary Rescue Group Senior Enlisted Leader, Undisclosed Location)
9. May 2024 – October 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, ANGRC NGB A3/10 Operations, Joint Base Andrews
10. November 2024 – Present, State Command Chief, Headquarters Pennsylvania Air National Guard, Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Awards with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
211th EIS SNCO of the Year 2010
193d RSG First Sergeant of the year 2011
193d RSG First Sergeant of the year 2012
193d SOW First Sergeant of the year 2015
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Pennsylvania National Guard Enlisted Association (Life Member)
Combat Veterans Association (Life Member)
Pi Lambda Theta Educators Honor Society
Veterans of Foreign Wars