Chief Master Sergeant Laura E. Hoover is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, one of the Air Force’s three core tanker wings. The wing provides all-weather, in-flight aerial refueling for U.S. and allied military aircraft and airlift for Global Reach projection of troops, equipment and supplies worldwide. In this position, Chief Hoover advises the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Commander on the health, morale, welfare, mission effectiveness, and proper utilization of more than 2,800 enlisted personnel assigned to five groups comprised of 17 squadrons, 14 wing staff agencies, two detachments and one geographically separated unit.
Chief Hoover is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. She entered the Air Force in June 2002 and graduated from the Air Traffic Control training course in December 2002. She has held a range of senior enlisted positions while serving at squadron, group and headquarters levels. She forward deployed in support of Operation IRAQI
FREEDOM, served as an air traffic control liaison in Campia Turzii, Romania, and completed overseas tours in Italy, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
Prior to her current position, Chief Hoover was the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
EDUCATION
2004 Associates of Applied Science in Airway Science, Community College of the Air Force
2005 Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Maryland University College
2006 Airman Leadership School, Aviano Air Base, Italy
2010 Joint Senior Noncommissioned Officer Professional Military Education, Correspondence Course
2012 Master of Arts, Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
2012 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Correspondence Course
2014 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2016 United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island
2018 Joint Senior Noncommissioned Officer Professional Military Education II, Correspondence Course
2021 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2021 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
2022 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, Institute for Defense Business at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002 – August 2002, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. August 2002 - December 2002, Student, Air Traffic Control Technical Training Course, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
3. January 2003 - April 2006, Air Traffic Control Journeyman, Aviano Air Base, Italy
4. April 2006 - April 2008, Air Traffic Control Watch Supervisor, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. April 2008 - April 2009, Air Traffic Control Watch Supervisor, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
6. May 2009 - December 2011, Air Traffic Control System Specialist and Air Traffic Control Watch Supervisor, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
7. December 2011 - May 2013, NCOIC, Air Traffic Control Training & Standardization, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
8. May 2013 - May 2018, Superintendent, USAF Air Traffic Control Ops, Procedures & Training, HQ Air Force Flight Standards Agency, Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
9. May 2018 – July 2019, Air Traffic Control Tower Chief Controller and Squadron Superintendent, 72d
Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
10. July 2019 – July 2020, Squadron Superintendent, 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Oklahoma
10. August 2020 – July 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Oklahoma
11. August 2022 – present, Command Chief, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kansas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 31st Operations Group Airman of the Year
2006 366th Operations Group Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year
2006 Airman Leadership School Commandant/Leadership Award
2007 Airfield Operations Flight Complex of the Year (USAFE)
2008 51st Fighter Wing Air Traffic Controller of the Year
2014 Headquarters Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year
2016 United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy Tomich Award
2017 Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant - November 1, 2019
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2022)