Three Team Edwards' Airmen selected for promotion to Air Forces' top 1 percent

  • Published
  • By Stephen K. Robinson
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Team Edwards celebrated the selection of three of their own to the top one percent of the enlisted ranks in the Air Force.

Senior Master Sgts. Gregory B. Bobzin, 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; James K. Cope, 31st Test Evaluation Squadron; and Tony Turner, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 5, were selected to be promoted to Chief Master Sergeant, Nov. 18, at Club Muroc.

At an informal gathering held at Club Muroc, Team Edwards Chief's Group gathered with base leadership and family members to congratulate the Chief selects.

"These three have proven themselves to be the best of the best in the Air Force's enlisted ranks," said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher S. McCollor, 412th Test Wing command chief.

"All selections in the Air Force are based on sustained superior performance. We are promoted in the Air Force as we demonstrate our ability to perform at the next higher rank. So, to get promoted and make rank in the Air Force requires that one show themselves capable of doing the same job as the current next higher rank is doing," Chief McCollor said.

"Conduct yourself at all times with integrity, excellence in everything you do and put service before self. So, if one lives their professional lives in this manner, everything else will fall in order," Chief McCollor said.

Chief (Sel.) Bobzin, assigned to the Joint Strike Fighter program, said, "I never thought this day would come, and the reality of it all has not yet sunk in. But, I'm sure over the next few days the shock will fade."

In the Air Force enlisted ranks, overall, only one percent is promoted to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant.

Offering advice to younger Airmen, Chief Bobzin said, "If you do not go down range - deploy - it is highly unlikely one will be promoted leave alone achieve the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. You need to expand your horizons at work and in the community. The Air Force wants, and needs, well-rounded people as leaders. They are the ones who will better understand and therefore better assist junior enlisted and junior officers in developing into valuable assets for the Air Force."

Chief (Sel.) Turner said, "Remember to take your career a step at a time. Each level requires skill sets that need to be mastered before one starts to think of moving on to the next higher pay grade. If an Airman does not show their proficiency at a junior level, then it is pretty clear they could not perform as expected at the next higher level. It's just that clear."

Absent from the festivities of the day was Chief (Sel.) Cope, who was on leave celebrating the birth of his newly arrived baby.