Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Holdcroft is the senior enlisted leader for the 412th Maintenance Group, 412th Test Wing, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. He leads the U.S. Air Force’s most diverse maintenance unit, which has more than 1,800 military, civilian and government-contracted personnel.
Holdcroft directs logistics testing and evaluation on 72 highly modified aircraft across 10 mission design series, aircraft subsystems, support equipment and technical orders. His work supports program offices, combined test forces, the Air Force Test Pilot School, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, foreign government programs and commercial partners. He is the group commander’s principal advisor on enlisted morale, health, welfare, quality forces, staffing, recognition and career programs.
Holdcroft is from Griffin, Georgia, and is a 1997 graduate of Griffin High School. He entered the Air Force in March 1998 as an aircraft armament systems apprentice and has held various positions at the section, flight, unit and Numbered Air Force levels. Before taking his current position, he was the wing weapons manager for the 412th Maintenance Group at Edwards Air Force Base.
EDUCATION
2002 Airman Leadership School, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
2008 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.
2012 Associate’s in Applied Science, Aircraft Armament Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, National Defense University
2014 Contingency Wartime Planners Course, Lee May Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2017 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Correspondence Course
2017 Advanced Aircraft Armament Systems Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2018 Bachelor’s in Science, Leadership, Trident University International
2019 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course II, National Defense University
2021 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1998 – April 1998, Trainee, 323d Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. April 1998 – August 1998, Student, 363d Student Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. August 1998 – April 2001, Weapons Load Crew Member, 78 FS, Shaw AFB, S.C.
4. April 2001 – April 2002, Squadron Lead Crew Chief, 8 MXG, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
5. June 2002 – June 2005, Weapons Load Crew Chief, 52 AMXS, 23 AMU, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
6. June 2005 – February 2007, Weapons Load Crew Chief, 4 AMXS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
7. February 2007 – February 2008, Squadron Lead Crew Chief, 4 MXG, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
8. February 2008 – March 2010, Loading Standardization Crew, 4 MXG, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
9. March 2010 – November 2011, Weapons Expediter, 4 AMXS, Seymour Johnson, AFB, N.C.
10. November 2011 – February 2013, Weapons Section Chief, 4 AMXS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
11. February 2013 – June 2014, Production Superintendent, 4 AMXS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
12. June 2014 – December 2014, Armament MX NCOIC, 4 EMS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
13. December 2014 – January 2016, War Reserve Material/Armament Programs Manager, 7 AF, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
14. January 2016 – April 2017, Armament Flight Chief, 23 MXS, Moody AFB, Ga.
15. April 2017 – June 2018, Weapons Standardization Superintendent, 23 MXG, Moody AFB, Ga.
16. June 2018 – November 2019, Armament Flight Chief, 23 MXS, Moody AFB, Ga.
17. November 2019 – August 2021, Weapons Section Chief, 23 AMXS, Moody AFB, Ga.
18. August 2021 – January 2023, Wing Weapons Manager, 412 MXG, Edwards AFB, Calif.
19. January 2023 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 412 MXG, Edwards AFB, Calif.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Load Crew of the Fourth Quarter, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2004 Load Crew of the Second Quarter, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
2004 Load Crew of the Year, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
2012 Outstanding Armament Manager of the Quarter, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2016 Lt General Leo Marquez Award, 23 EMS, Moody AFB, Ga.
2016 Lance P. Sijan Award, 23 EMS, Moody AFB, Ga.
2016 Outstanding Armament Manager of the Second Quarter, 23d Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
2016 Outstanding Armament Manager of the Year, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
2018 SNCO of the Second Quarter, 23 Maintenance Operations, Moody AFB, Ga.
2018 SNCO of the Third Quarter, 23 MXS, Moody AFB, Ga.
2018 SNCO of the Year, 23 MXG, Moody AFB, Ga.
2019 Maintenance Support Professional of the Year, 23 AMXS, Moody AFB, Ga.
2020 SNCO of the First Quarter, 23 MXG, Moody AFB, Ga.
2020 Lance P. Sijan Award, 23 MXG, Moody AFB, Ga.
(Current as of May 2024)