Chief Master Sgt. William J. Horay is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 166th Airlift Wing, New Castle Air National Guard Base, Delaware. The wing’s overall mission is to provide tactical airlift and air drop, aeromedical evacuation, civil engineering, and cyber operations in support of domestic operations and the Air Force’s global air mobility missions. Chief Horay is the principal advisor to the commander and senior leadership on matters influencing the health, morale, welfare, and professional development of more than 1,200 members and how they are utilized to support strategic wing initiatives.
Chief Horay entered the Air Force in August 1993 as a KC-10A Maintenance Apprentice. His background in aircraft maintenance includes the KC-10 Extender, C-5 Galaxy, E-3 Sentry, and KC-135 Stratotanker. He has served at the Flight, Squadron, and headquarters levels in various tactical, operational, and strategic positions during his career within Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command, and the Air National Guard. His past duty titles include Aerospace Maintenance Craftsman, KC-10 Maintenance Instructor, Field Training Detachment Flight Chief, Plans/Programs/Mobility Section Chief, Additional-Duty First Sergeant, Flight Line Expediter, Production Superintendent, Aircraft Maintenance Unit NCOIC, and Aircraft Maintenance Unit Superintendent. Chief Horay has served at bases in California, New Jersey, Maryland, the Pentagon, and Japan and has deployed in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, Unified Protector, and Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa. Prior to his current assignment, Chief Horay served as the Chief of the Air National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader Management Office, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
EDUCATION
1993 Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
1998 Airman Leadership School, Travis AFB, Calif.
1998 Associate Degree, Aircraft Systems Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Basic Instructor Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2001 Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Chapman University, Calif.
2003 Associate Degree, Instructor of Technology & Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2004 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
2004 Occupational Instructor Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2004 Master Instructor Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2006 Master of Arts, Psychology, Chapman University, Calif.
2009 Maintenance Production and Supervision Course, USAF Expeditionary Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
2009 Senior Enlisted Joint PME, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., by correspondence
2010 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2014 Pacific Air Forces Chief Master Sergeants’ Orientation Course, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
2015 Air National Guard Chiefs’ Executive Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2016 Senior Leader Regional Seminar (Africa), Allan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2016 USAF Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of N.C.
EDUCATION Cont’d
2016 Air National Guard Command Chief Orientation Course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2016 Joint Enlisted Professionalism Workshop, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint PME-II, Joint Knowledge Online, Suffolk, Va., by correspondence
2017 Systems Thinking Seminar (Strategic Mindset), Stimpson Associates, Arlington, Va.
2017 Leadership Challenge Program II, The Leadership Foundry (Xator Corporation), Alexandria, Va.
2017 USAF Command Chief Master Sergeants’ Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2018 Defense Support of Civil Authorities, Joint Knowledge Online, Suffolk, Va., by correspondence
2018 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, The Judge Advocate General’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August–September 1993, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. September–November 1993, Student, Technical Training School, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. November 1993–September 1995, KC-10 Crew Chief, 6th Air Refueling Squadron, March AFB, Calif.
4. September 1995–December 1999, KC-10 Crew Chief, 660th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. December 1999–October 2001, NCOIC Vehicle Control, 660th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
6. October 2001–July 2003, KC-10 Maintenance. Instructor, 373d Training Squadron, Detachment 14, Travis AFB, Calif.
7. July 2003–November 2005, Flight Chief, 373d Training Squadron, Detachment 14, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. November 2005–January 2008, Section Chief, 60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. January 2008–June 2008, Flight Line Expediter, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
10 June 2008–May 2011, Production Superintendent, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL), N.J. (May 2009–September 2009, Production Superintendent, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Southwest Asia)
11. May 2011–November 2012, Section NCOIC, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, JB-MDL, N.J. (May 2011 – July 2011, Maintenance Superintendent, 313th Air Expeditionary Wing, Moron AB, Spain)
12. November 2012–May 2013, AMU NCOIC, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, JB-MDL, N.J.
13. May 2013–November 2013, AMU Superintendent, 605th Acft Maintenance Squadron, JB-MDL, N.J.
14. December 2013–April 2015, 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 961 AMU Superintendent, Kadena AB, Japan
15. April 2015–October 2015, 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 909 AMU Superintendent, Kadena AB, Japan
16. October 2015–July 2018, Chief of Air National Guard Sr. Enlisted Leader Mgmt Office, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
17. July 2018–Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 166th Airlift Wing, New Castle ANGB, De.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1998 Leadership Award Recipient, Airman Leadership School, Travis AFB, Calif.
2010 Distinguished Graduate, USAF Senior NCO Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Lt General Lew Allen, Jr. Award, 305th Air Mobility Wing, JB-MDL, N.J.
2012 305th Air Mobility Wing, SNCO of the Year, JB-MDL, N.J.
2013 Air Force Association Medal of Merit, AFA Northeast Region
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Air Force Sergeants’ Association (Life Member)
Air Force Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Aug. 6, 1993
Airman First Class June 6, 1994
Senior Airman Aug. 6, 1996
Staff Sergeant Aug. 1, 1998
Technical Sergeant Jan. 1, 2004
Master Sergeant July 1, 2007
Senior Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 2011
Chief Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 2014
(Current as of August 2018)