Getting to know our command chief

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa Dearstone
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Chief Master Sgt. Max Grindstaff took over the 75th Air Base Wing and Ogden Air Logistics Center command chief master sergeant position June 27.

The chief's Air Force career has spanned more than 24 years and throughout most of that time Grindstaff served in Security Forces and Communicationsââ-ââComputer Operations, deploying four times in those career fields. He has been a command chief now for four years and deployed once in that position. Hill Air Force Base is his third assignment as a command chief.

Before arriving at Hill, Grindstaff did a lot of preparation for his role here as command chief.

While deployed in Afghanistan, Grindstaff did a lot of turnover with the prior command chief, Chief Master Sgt. David Nordel, over the phone.

"This is my first Air Force Materiel Command base, so I had a lot of reading to do beforehand and had to get smart on the command and specifically this center," said Grindstaff.

Learning the mission of the center was really the biggest challenge, he said. After getting out there and meeting all the different wings and shops, he now has a better grasp on how things work and how to better support the people who are getting it done.

"The center provided worldwide engineering and logistics management for the warfighter -- the OO-ALC is the depot for not only the state-of-the-art aircraft, but for many of the Air Force's aged aircraft as well," said Grindstaff.

Since meeting the different wings and shops at Hill, Grindstaff has a greater understanding how each unit fits into the mission at Hill and how it contributes to the Air Force mission.

"Hill plays an essentially pivotal role in the Department of Defense," said Grindtsaff. "From the larger organizations down to the smaller tenant units here at Hill, they all contribute to big things across the department and each one is so unique and different. This is probably the most nuanced assignment I have had as an Airman and definitely as a command chief."

After learning more about Hill AFB, it has given Grindstaff more of an idea on what some of his challenges might be during his time here.

"With so few people and resources to get the job done in the ways we have gotten the job done in the past, the biggest challenge I think for anyone, is trying to find the right mix of new and old and thinking creatively to get the mission done, while being mindful of the Airmen's time," said Grindstaff.

Although, Chief Grindstaff might face a few challenges while here, his primary role is to be an adviser.

Grindstaff said, as command chief, he is an adviser to Maj. Gen. Andrew Busch, OO-ALC commander and Col. Sarah Zabel, 75th ABW commander. He is also an adviser and mentor to the enlisted personnel on base, anyone from front line supervisor, to the shirts and also fellow chiefs.

Grindstaff said that it's about the Airmen, and not about him.

He said, every day, someone wakes up with their Airman on their mind. Somebody back home is waking up and hoping that their son or daughter, niece or nephew, is being taken care of and that they are safe. They are hoping that someone is keeping an eye out on their Airman and making sure they are doing a good job and if they happen to go astray a little bit, that we are here to put them back on track.

"Our bond as leaders in the Air Force is to make sure that we are taking care of those hopes and thoughts from back home while getting the mission done," said Grindstaff.