Chief Master Sergeant David R. Staton is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The command includes the Air Force Recruiting Service, a numbered air force and Air University. AETC trains more than 293,000 students per year and consists of 12 bases, more than 67,900 active-duty, Reserve, Guard, civilians and contractors, and 1,369 trainer, fighter and mobility aircraft. Chief Staton advises AETC commanders, directors, and staff on the current and future training and educational methods used by the more than 600,000 total force Airmen. The chief is a key advisor to the command's corporate structure for budgeting, transformation, and execution of the AETC mission.

Chief Staton grew up in Gentry, Arkansas, and entered the Air Force in June 1988. His diverse career includes various duties as an Information Manager, Military Training Instructor and first sergeant at bases in Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Japan, with deployments to Southwest Asia and Afghanistan. Chief Staton was the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado and Command Chief Master Sergeant, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Arizona. Before assuming his current position, he served as Command Chief Master Sergeant, Second Air Force, Keesler AFB, Mississippi.

EDUCATION

1991 NCO Preparatory Course (Levitow Award), Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

1991 Distinguished Graduate, Military Training Instructor School, Lackland AFB, Texas

1993 Airman Leadership School (Levitow Award), Lackland AFB, Texas

1995 Basic Instructor Course, Lackland AFB, Texas

1995 Associate degree in instructor of technology and military science, Community College of the Air Force

1996 Occupational Instructor Certification, Community College of the Air Force

1998 NCO Academy, (Distinguished Graduate) Lackland AFB, Texas

1998 Associate degree in information management, Community College of the Air Force

2002 First Sergeant Academy (Distinguished Graduate), Maxwell AFB, Alabama

2002 Associate degree in human resource management, Community College of the Air Force

2005 Senior NCO Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama

2009 Chiefs Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama

2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course

2011 Air Force Smart Operations Level 1 Certification, University of Tennessee

2011 Enterprise Management Seminar, Darden Executive Education, University of Virginia

2012 Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg University, Pennsylvania

2012 Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, North Carolina

2013 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force

2014 Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leadership Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

2015 Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, Trident University International, Cypress, Calif.

2015 Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Florida

ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1988 - July 1988, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas

2. July 1988 - September 1988, Student, Information Management School, Keesler AFB, Mississippi

3. September 1988 - October 1991, Information Manager, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

4. November 1991 - April 1995, Master Military Training Instructor, Lackland AFB, Texas

5. April 1995 - January 1997, Senior Instructor, Military Training Instructor School, Lackland AFB, Texas

6. January 1997 - July 1998, NCO-in-charge, Information Management, 68th Intelligence Squadron, Brooks AFB, Texas (August 1997 - November 1997, NCO-in-charge, Information Management, 4416th Intelligence Squadron (Provisional), Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia)

7. July 1998 - November 1999, Master Military Training Instructor / NCO-in-charge, Military Drill and Ceremonies, 321st Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas

8. November 1999 - September 2000, Stan Eval Instructor/NCO in Charge, Military Drill and Ceremonies, 737th Training Group, Lackland AFB, Texas

9. September 2000 - February 2002, Section Supervisor, 331st Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas

10. February 2002 - February 2004, First Sergeant, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas

11. February 2004 - February 2008, First Sergeant, Misawa Air Base, Japan (May - August 2005, First Sergeant, 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Southwest Asia)

12. February 2008 - January 2009, Training Superintendent, 323rd Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas

13. January 2009 - January 2010, Superintendent, 319th Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas

14. January 2010 - January 2011, Superintendent, 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, Kandahar Afghanistan

15. January 2011 - August 2012, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

16. August 2012 - September 2013, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Arizona

17. October 2013 – January 2016, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Second Air Force, Keesler AFB, Mississippi

18. January 2016 - present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Bronze Star Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

1990 Airman of the Year, 379th Bomb Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, and 8th Air Force

1990 and 1991 Information Manager of the Year, 379th Bomb Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

1993 Airman of the Year, 37th Training Wing, Lackland AFB, Texas, and Second Air Force

1994 Air Force Master Military Training Instructor of the Year

2003 First Sergeant of the Year, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas

2005 First Sergeant of the Year, 70th Intelligence Wing, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

2005 First Sergeant of the Year, Misawa AB, Japan

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION

Chief Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 2009

(Current as of January 2016)