New ESC command chief brings diverse experience to job

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gilmartin
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Electronic Systems Center's and the 66th Air Base Wing's new Command Chief has had an illustrious 26-year career, serving as a military training instructor, a member of the Presidential Honor Guard and working on a historic Status of Force agreement while with NATO, but it wasn't always clear he would end up a professional Airman.

In fact, when Chief Master Sergeant Kenneth Williams graduated high school in South Carolina, he worked a number of odd jobs, including selling cleaning products door to door for the Fuller Brush Company.

"A military career was the furthest thing from my mind," he said. "But my mother observed my lack of focus, and strongly suggested I consider joining the military."

Even after enlisting in the Air Force in 1983, Chief Williams initially struggled with the discipline of Basic Training.

"My Military Training Instructor told me I wasn't going to make it through basic," the chief said. "I wanted to prove him wrong. Along the way I found my niche. When I realized that I fit well in a structured environment, I felt I had found my home."

Today, Chief Williams' mother kiddingly calls him "Joe Air Force," a fitting nickname for the man who is intent on serving as a positive role model for ESC's enlisted corps and junior officers.

The chief said he looks forward to strengthening ESC's leadership team in his new assignment. "I'm here to implement our commander's priorities and translate those to the enlisted corps," he said. "I look forward to growing relationships with our junior officers while helping reinforce the importance of our enlisted corps, and maybe providing an educational piece along the way."

Chief Williams said his reception at Hanscom has been "great and unexpected."

In his short time at the base, he has already stopped a number of young Airmen to talk.

"I am asking Airmen, 'what is your role in the Air Force?" he said. "I'm hearing things from them like, duty, honor and commitment. We have a very intelligent enlisted corps here. Some may struggle, but I will try to lead all of them, including those who have trouble understanding why we're here."

A Diverse Career
It didn't take long for Chief Williams to make his mark in the Air Force. Signing up for a six-year enlistment in 1983 allowed him to enter the service as a two-striper - an Airman First Class - serving as an inventory management specialist in Base Supply at Little Rock AFB, Ark.

"I was part of a six-person team that had accountability for all of the base's assets," he said. "I felt as though once again, I had found my niche."

When it was time to consider reenlisting, then Sergeant Williams didn't hesitate, because he had already earned a line number for Staff Sergeant and was ready for a career as a Non Commissioned Officer.

Having served in Supply at Dyess AFB, Texas as well as in an assignment with NATO, the chief was soon ready for new challenges. A chance meeting with a returning military training instructor piqued his interest in a new career field.

"This guy had such an awesome presence," Chief Williams said. "I was awestruck. He explained how fulfilling MTI duty can be, and I was hooked."

After pursuing his new dream of becoming an instructor, he reported to Lackland AFB, Texas in 1993, where he had a considerable amount of success over the next five years.

"I was able to draw on my experiences struggling in basic training, and told those young men and women who were struggling about my story," he said. "I told them, I made it and so can you, if you adopt the Air Force way of life."

After three years training new recruits, he attained the distinction of Master Military Trainer, certified as an Air Education and Training Command Master Instructor, and became the senior instructor at Military Trainee Instructor School, developing the next generation of MTIs for two years.

The chief's military bearing didn't go unnoticed, and when he set his sights on a new challenge in 1998 - becoming a member of the Air Force Honor Guard - he was quickly chosen for this highly selective special duty assignment.

As a member of this elite team, he was soon rendering military honors to Air Force personnel and their families during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery and conducting military ceremonies at the White House, Pentagon and national memorials. He served in a myriad of positions while with the Honor Guard.

After almost five years in that assignment, then Senior Master Sergeant Williams felt it was time to find a real home in the Air Force. After all, he felt, while his special duty assignments had been exciting and fulfilling, he needed to focus on a traditional career field.

He found just such an opportunity working in the front office of a Marine three-star general who was serving as the J-8 in the Joint Chiefs of Staff organization, in charge of Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment. That three-star - Lt. Gen. James Cartwright -- reorganized his front office, converting a lieutenant colonel support position to an enlisted executive officer and hiring Sergeant Williams.

When General Cartwright earned his fourth star and became commander of U.S. Strategic Command, he recruited Chief Williams after a chance meeting on a Thursday afternoon.

"He said I'd like you to be on my team. Please think about it. I'll be back Monday for your decision," Chief Williams said.

After discussing the opportunity with his wife, Senior Master Sergeant Williams reported to USSTRATCOM headquarters at Offutt AFB, Neb. in July 2005.

"General Cartwright wanted me to 'get STRATCOMized,' so he assigned me as the superintendent of information management in the Global Operations Directorate, working for two two-star generals," Chief Williams said. "After six months, I guess I was STRATCOMized, because he moved me to his front office."

It was during this assignment that Sergeant Williams reached the pinnacle of the enlisted ranks, being selected for Chief Master Sergeant.

When General Cartwright was reassigned to the Pentagon for his current assignment as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he asked Chief Williams to return to Washington D.C. with him.

"I thanked him for the opportunity, but told him I need to go do what chiefs do, and that is lead Airmen," Chief Williams said.

His next assignment was to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium, where he was the Air Force senior enlisted leader, mentoring NCOs from 27 other NATO nations. It was during this assignment he worked on a major rewrite of the Status of Forces agreement between the U.S. and Belgium, something that had not been done in more than 50 years.

Chief Williams said he had heightened anticipation when he heard that, in his new assignment to ESC, he would be working with 66th Air Base Wing Commander Col. David Orr, who he had met while at the Pentagon, as well as for ESC Commander Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds and ESC Executive Director Mr. Rich Lombardi.

"Although I never met them, I remember General Bowlds and Mr. Lombardi from their days at the Pentagon," Chief Williams said. "And, I knew Colonel Orr as someone who operates at 95 miles per hour. I love a fast pace, and it truly is an honor to serve with these leaders."

The chief said that, if he had to choose his epitaph, it would be just two words: he cared.

"At the end of the day, I want people to know I cared," he said. "I will work hard to ensure I don't disappoint our Airmen, something I have low tolerance for. We, as leaders, should not disappoint. We should always set the example, provide leadership, and accept feedback from all levels."