Chief Master Sergeant Mark A. Covington is Command Chief 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 Covington 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 Covington enlisted in the Air Force in June 2001. He graduated from the Ground Transportation Apprentice Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in October 2001. He has held a variety of positions within the Ground Transportation career field and served in various capacities at the Air Staff and squadron-group level. His assignments have included bases in Germany, Washington D.C., Korea, Japan, Montana, Türkiye, Italy and the United Kingdom. He was also selected to fill a Developmental Special Duty as an Airman Leadership School Instructor and Commandant and has deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and numerous other contingency operations.
Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Covington served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 28th Mission Support Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.
EDUCATION
2001 Associate of Applied Science, Computer Programing, Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
2006 Airman Leadership School, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington D.C.
2014 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
2015 Associate of Applied Science, Transportation, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2016 Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course, Gunter Air Force Base, Ala.
2017 Associate of Applied Science, Instructor of Technology/Military Science, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Instructor Level I Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Instructor Level II Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Instructor Level III Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Bachelor of Science, History and Social Studies, American Military University, Manassas, Va.
2020 Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course I, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2022 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2023 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001 – Jul 2001, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Tx.
2. July 2001 – Oct 2001, Trainee, Ground Transportation Apprentice Course, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
3. October 2001 – Oct 2003, Vehicle Operations Apprentice, 86th Transportation Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
4. October 2003 – Feb 2006, Chief Dispatcher, 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington D.C. (February 2004– Aug 2004, Lead Vehicle Commander, 2632nd Air Expeditionary Force Truck Company, Balad Air Base, Iraq and June 2005 – Feb 2006, Gun Truck Team Leader, 2632nd Air Expeditionary Force Truck Company, Balad AB, Iraq)
5. February 2006 – Feb 2010, CSAF Protocol NCOIC, Office of the CSAF, Pentagon, Washington D.C. (March 2008 – Nov 2008, Lead Transportation Operations Center Controller, 70th Medium Truck Detachment, Camp Arijan, Kuwait)
6. February 2010 – Feb 2011, Dispatch Support NCOIC, 51st Logistics Readiness Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea
7. February 2011 – Feb 2013, Chief Dispatcher, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan (July 2011 – Feb 2012, Asst. Convoy Commander, 424th Medium Truck Detachment, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
8. February 2013 – Mar 2016, Vehicle Operations Supervisor, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
9. March 2016 – Jul 2018, ALS Instructor, 341st Force Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
10. July 2018 – Aug 2019, ALS Commandant, 39th Force Support Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye
11. August 2019 – Nov 2021, Deployment and Distribution Flight Chief, 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
12. November 2021 – Apr 2023, Deployment and Distribution Flight Chief, 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
13. April 2023 – Feb 2024, Deployment and Distribution Flight Chief, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
14. February 2024 – Jun 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
15. June 2024 – June 2025, Senior Enlisted Leader, 39th Mission Support Group, Incirlik AB, Türkiye
16. June 2025 – July 2026, Senior Enlisted Leader, 28th Mission Support Group, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
17. July 2026 – Present, Command Chief, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Senior Airman Below the Zone
2005 Wing Airman of the Year
2010 Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2013 Wing Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award
2014 Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2014 John L. Levitow, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2014 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Air Force Global Strike Command
2016 Commandant Distinguished Graduate List, Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course
2018 Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2019 Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2020 Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2022 Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2022 General Lew Allen Jr. Trophy, United States Air Force in Europe
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Headquarters Air Force Badge
Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Badge
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Permanent Member, Air Force Sergeants Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class July 20, 2001
Senior Airman November 20, 2003
Staff Sergeant February 1, 2006
Technical Sergeant October 1, 2012
Master Sergeant February 1, 2017
Senior Master Sergeant November 1, 2020
Chief Master Sergeant October 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2026)