CMSgt Ryan J. Taylor is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. He is the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all matters affecting the military readiness, training, utilization, health, morale, and welfare of the wing’s 12,000 permanent party Airmen. The wing is responsible for providing technical training for more than 27,000 military and civilian personnel across 38 skillsets critical to the Air Force, Space Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserves, and other Department of Defense agencies, including international partners. He also liaises with and provides support for three tenant units, including the Department of Defense's sole aerial weather reconnaissance mission.
Chief Taylor grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He entered the Air Force in October 2001 and graduated from the Fire Protection Apprentice Course in April 2002. He has served in leadership positions at squadron, group, wing, and Major Command. His career has included assignments in Hawaii, Missouri, Colorado, Arizona, Guam, Alabama, and Texas.
Chief Taylor has served on multiple contingencies in support of Air Force operations to include Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE and BALIKATAN. Prior to his current position, CMSgt Taylor was Command First Sergeant, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
EDUCATION
2007 Airman Leadership School, Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colo.
2010 Associate of Applied Science, Fire Science, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala. 2012 Emergency Management Apprentice Course, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
2012 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
2012 Associate of Applied Science, Emergency Management, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2014 Bachelor of Science, Emergency and Disaster Management, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va
2014 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, by correspondence
2015 United States Air Force First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Business Administration, Management, Northcentral University, San Diego, Calif.
2016 Associate of Applied Science, Human Resources Management, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by correspondence
2017 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2019 Instructor Certification Program Course, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
2019 Master Resilience Trainer Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Air Force Basic Mediation Course, Air Force Negotiation Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Instructor Systems Development Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2022 Chief Leadership Course, Chief Leadership Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2022 Senior Enlisted Leader Legal Orientation, Judge Advocate General School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2001–December 2001, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), Texas
2. December 2001–May 2002, Student, Technical Training, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. May 2002-October 2005, Fire Protection Driver/Operator, Hickam AFB, Hawaii (Deployed Jun-Nov 2003, Fire Protection Driver/Operator, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Manas, Kyrgyzstan)
4. October 2005–July 2007, Fire Protection Crew Chief, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
5.July 2007–March 2011, Fire Protection Crew Chief/Station Captain, Peterson AFB, Colo. (Deployed Jan-Jun 2009, Fire Protection Crew Chief, 332d Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Balad AB, Iraq)
6. March 2011–June 2011, Student, Technical Training, Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.
7. June 2011–November 2015, Superintendent, Readiness and Emergency Management, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.(Deployed Nov-May 2012, NCOIC Emergency Management, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar); (Deployed Jan-Aug 2015, Superintendent Emergency Management, 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Ali Al Salem, Kuwait)
8. October 2015–January 2017, First Sergeant, 355th Force Support Squadron and Comptroller Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9.February 2017–August 2018, First Sergeant, 36th Maintenance Group and 36th Maintenance Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam
10.September 2018–June 2019, First Sergeant, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam (Deployed March-April 2019, First Sergeant, 13th Air Expeditionary Group, Clark AB, Philippines)
11. June 2019–June 2021, Instructor, Air Force First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
12. June 2021-Sept 2022, Commandant, Gunter Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
13. September 2022- Jan 2025, Command First Sergeant Air and Education and Training Command, 8F000 MAJCOM Functional Manager, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
14. January 2025-Present, Command Chief, 81st Training Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2012 355th Civil Engineer Squadron, NCO of the Year, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2012 Air Combat Command, Military Emergency Manager of the Year, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2014 355th Civil Engineer Squadron, SNCO of the Year, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2016 355th Fighter Wing Staff Agency/Comptroller, First Sergeant of the Year, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2017 36th Wing, General Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Andersen AFB, Guam
2017 36th Wing, First Sergeant of the Year, Andersen AFB, Guam
2019 Ira C. Eaker Center for Leadership Development, General Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class Oct. 30, 2001
Senior Airman Feb. 29, 2004
Staff Sergeant Oct. 1, 2007
Technical Sergeant July 1, 2011
Master Sergeant July 1, 2014
Senior Master Sergeant Oct. 1, 2018
Chief Master Sergeant Sept 1, 2021
(CURRENT AS OF FEBRUARY 2025)