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Chief Master Sergeant Courtney C. Freeman

Chief Master Sergeant Courtney C. Freeman is the Command Chief Master Sergeant at Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL. The command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force component to U.S. Special Operations Command. The command has approximately 21,000 Total Force Airmen across ten operational Wings and two Special Operations Groups. Chief Freeman advises the Commander on the readiness, training, education, and resiliency of the enlisted force. 

CMSgt Freeman entered the Air Force in December 1997 and graduated from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in February  1998  as  an  Electronic  Warfare  Systems Apprentice. His background includes various duties in the enlisted aviation arena at the squadron, group, and wing levels. Throughout his career, CMSgt Freeman has filled a variety of roles to include additional duty First Sergeant and deployed superintendent positions. He has deployed numerous times in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW  DAWN,  and  INHERENT  RESLOVE.  CMSgt Freeman is a Chief Enlisted Aircrew member that has held qualifications in the RC-135V/W, C-32B and C-235 aircraft totaling over 4,000 hours including over 1,000 hours of combat time. Prior to his current position, CMSgt Freeman the Senior Enlisted Leader, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

EDUCATION
1998 Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 2002 Airman Leadership School, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2004 Associates in Applied Science, Information Systems Management, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Noncommissioned Officer Professional Enhancement Course, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2006 Associates in Applied Science, Avionics Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Bachelor of Science, Business Information Systems Management, Bellevue University, Bellevue, Neb. 2008 USAF Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2012 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Correspondence)
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Enhancement Course (Correspondence) 2014 United States Naval Senior Enlisted Academy, Newport R.I.
2015 Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. 2017 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, University of N.C., Chapel Hill, N.C.
2017 Chief Leadership Course, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2018 Summit Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. 2018 Middle East and South Asia Update, Washington, D.C.
2019 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2021 Combined Joint Force Special Operations Component Commanders Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2021 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Washington, D.C. 2021 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Keystone, National Defense University, Ft Leslie J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 2021 Transnational Issues Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2023 Artificial Intelligence for National Security Leaders Course, Cambridge, Mass

ASSIGNMENTS
1.December 1997 - February 1998, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Tx.
2.February 1998 - August 1998, Student, Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3.August 1998 - September 2000, Electronic Warfare Systems Apprentice, 61 st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4.October 2000 - July 2004, Evaluator, Airborne Systems Engineer, 97th Intelligence Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
5.August 2004 - December 2006, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Airborne Systems Engineer 1 Aircrew Training, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
6.January 2007 - August 2010, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Standardization and Evaluation Flight, DATA MASKED
7.August 2010 - August 2013, Special Projects Avionics Manager, 645th Aeronautical Systems Squadron, Greenville, Tx.
8.August 2013 - August 2014, Superintendent, Combat Development Directorate, DATA MASKED
9.August 2014 - January 2017, Squadron Superintendent, DATA MASKED
10.January 2017 - July 2019, Group Superintendent, DATA MASKED
11.July 2019 - August 2020, Command Chief, DATA MASKED
12.August 2020 - June 2022, Command Chief, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13.June 2022 – May 2024, Command Chief, USAF Expeditionary Center, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
14.  May 2024 – June 2025, Senior Enlisted Leader, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2025 – Present, Command Chief, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal with Combat Device
Air & Space Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster Air & Space Force Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Sensor Olympics Bronze Medalist, Air Intelligence Agency 2004 1A3 Outstanding Operational Warrior of the Year, 8th Air Force
2008 Distinguished Graduate, Gunter Noncommissioned Officer Academy 2008 Commandant's Award, Gunter Noncommissioned Officer Academy 2008 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Higher Headquarters
2011 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 645th AESS
2011 SSgt Henry "Red" Erwin Outstanding Senior Enlisted Aircrew of the Year, AFMC 2013 Air Force Information Operations Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, AFMC
2014 Lance P. Sijan Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, DATA MASKED

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant December, 2016

(Current as of June 2025)