Chief Master Sgt. Joshua T. Skarloken is the command chief master sergeant, 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California. As the command chief, he is the principal enlisted advisor to the wing commander on all matters concerning readiness, training, education, and resiliency of the wing’s 19,500 active duty, reserve, civil service, and defense industrial base contractors on the second largest base in the U.S. Air Force. He also represents the enlisted force across 56 organizational developmental test and evaluation units to advance multiple Department of Defense programs valued at $1.4 billion dollars. These test/programs include KC-46, KC-135, KC-10, C-17, C-5, F-35, F-22, F-16, B-21, B-1, B-2, B-52, eT-7A, RQ-4 and emerging technologies.
Skarloken was born and raised in Valley City, N.D. and entered the Air Force in October of 1999 as a defender. His background includes a myriad of Security Forces (SF) and Inspector General (IG) duties at both the squadron and headquarters levels. He has also planned, managed, and executed Building Partner Capacity missions and conducted airfield assessments throughout Europe and Africa and deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Freedom's Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, Prosperity Guardian, Spartan Shield, and NATO's Resolute Support Mission.
Prior to his current assignment, Skarloken was the command chief master sergeant for the 23d Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
EDUCATION
2004 Airman Leadership School, Minot AFB, N.D.
2004 U.S. Army Special Reaction Team School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
2005 Associate in Applied Science, Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force
2006 U.S. Army Military Police Investigations School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
2011 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2014 U.S. Marine Corps Advanced Course (SNCOA), Camp Lejeune, N.C.
2015 Bachelor of Science Degree, Criminal Justice, Cum Laude Honors, Park University
2018 Master of Business Administration Degree, Columbia Southern University
2020 Chief Leaders Course, Gunter Annex, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 U.S. Air Force Inspectors General Training Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2023 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Wing Command Team Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Univ of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2000-August 2005, Missile Security Instructor, Flight Security Controller, Security Response Team Leader, 91st Security Forces Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
2. August 2005-November 2007, NCOIC Physical Security/Pass & ID, Security Forces Controller, 355th Security Forces Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (June-December 2006, Assistant NCOIC/Compound Controller, Compound 7, 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Camp Bucca, Iraq)
3. November 2007-February 2012, Superintendent, Investigations & Antiterrorism/Force Protection, NCOIC, Mobility & Equipment, Patrolman, 569th United States Forces Police Squadron, Vogelweh Air Station, Germany (April-October 2010, Provost Sergeant/Criminal Investigator, Task Force Rushmore, Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan)
4. February 2012-March 2013, Security Forces Manager, 821st Security Forces Squadron, Thule Air Base (AB), Greenland
5. March 2013-June 2017, Operations Superintendent, Logistics & Resources Superintendent, NCOIC, SF Operations, Flight Chief, 366th Security Forces Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (April-October 2016, Squadron Superintendent, 451st Expeditionary Support Squadron, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan)
6. June 2017-July 2019, Superintendent, Protection Services Division, Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center, Detachment 4, Ramstein AB, Germany
7. July 2019-January 2021, Security Forces Manager, 319th Security Forces Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
8. January 2021-July 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 628th Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (November 2021-May 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 378th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
9. July 2022-June 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, Inspections and Oversight Directorates, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
10. June 2023-August 2024, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 93d Air Ground Operations Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
11. August 2024-July 2025, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 23d Wing, Moody AFB, Ga. (September 2024-April 2025, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base (ADAB), United Arab Emirates
12. July 2025-Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 412th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, Calif.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Distinguished Graduate, Security Forces Academy
2010 86th Airlift Wing NCO of the Year
2012 821st Air Base Group Lance P. Sijan Senior Enlisted Nominee
2013 366th Fighter Wing SNCO of the Year
2018 Air Force Material Command Security Forces Outstanding Higher Headquarters NCO
2018 Air Force Material Command International Affairs Excellence Award – Enlisted Category
2019 Air Combat Command's Outstanding Medium Security Forces Unit of the Year (GFAFB)
2021 United States Air Forces Central's Outstanding Medium Security Forces Unit of the Year (PSAB)
2021 Air Mobility Command's Outstanding Large Security Forces Unit of the Year (JBC)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant May 01, 2019
(Current as of July 2025)