Chief Master Sergeant Bradley T. Stem is the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 412th Mission Support Group, Edwards Air Force Base, California. He advises the 412th Mission Support Group commander on enlisted matters and serves as a mentor responsible for synchronizing the efforts of over 1,700 military, civilian, and contracted personnel to support 19,500 personnel assigned to the 412th Test Wing, Air Force Test Center, Air Force Test Pilot School, Plant 42, and the NASA Armstrong Research Center residing on the second largest base in the Air Force. He provides counsel for 54 mission partners, and provides communication, logistics, security and force support requirements to advance 56 test and evaluation programs to advance 14 Department of Defense aircraft platforms valued at $19.1 billion dollars.
Stem enlisted in the Air Force in June 1999 and completed security forces technical training in October of that same year. He has held a variety of positions within the security forces career field in garrison, expeditionary, and joint. Additionally, Stem served in the First Sergeant developmental special duty career field. He has deployed multiple times in support of Operations Resolute Support, Freedom Sentinel, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch, Inherent Resolve Africom, Centcom and Southcom theaters. His assignments have included bases in Arizona, South Carolina, Japan, Florida, Georgia, Germany, and California. Prior to this position, Stem served as the Headquarters Commandant Senior Enlisted Leader and Command First Sergeant for United States Africa Command.
EDUCATION
2003 Airman Leadership School, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
2003 Military Working Dog Handler Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2005 Security Forces Craftsmen Course & Military Working Dog Supervisor Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2008 USAF Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kadena AB, Japan
2011 Security Forces Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element (DAGRE) Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2012 Special Operations Forces Air Command and Control Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2012 Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force
2012 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Version 5, by distance learning
2012 Dynamics of International Terrorism / Responsible Officers Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2013 Integrated Defense Command and Control Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2015 USAF First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, AL
2016 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (In-residence), Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, AL
2017 Evasion and Conduct After Capture Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Correspondence Course
2022 USAF Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.
2022 Bachelor of Science in Leadership Studies, Trident University, Cypress, CA
ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 1999 – July 1999, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2.July 1999 – October 1999, Student, Security Forces Apprentice Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
3.November 1999 – September 2003, Security Forces Controller, 355th Security Forces Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
(June 2000 – September 2000, Fire Team Member, Det 7, Forward Operating Location Eloy Alfara AB, Manta AB, Ecuador)
(February 2001 – June 2001, Fire Team Member, 363d Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Prince Sultan AB, KSA)
(August 2002 – December 2002, Fire Team Member, 321st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Masirah Island, Oman)
4.December 2003 – December 2006, Military Working Dog Handler, 20 Security Forces Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
(November 2004 – June 2025, Military Working Dog Handler, 2d Military Police Battalion, Al Anbar Province, Iraq)
5.January 2007 – January 2011, Military Working Dog Handler, Trainer, Kennel Master, Flight Chief, 18th Security Forces Squadron,Kadena AB, Japan.
(August 2007 – March 2008, Military Working Dog Handler, 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, KirkukRegional AB, Iraq)
August 2009 – March 2010, Antiterrorism NCO, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, Djibouti)
6. February 2011 – September 2014, Operations NCOIC, 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron,Hurlburt Field, FL
(May 2014 – September 2014, Deployed Security Coordinator, Joint Special Operations Air Detachment AB 101, Niger)
7. October 2014 – February 2016 First Sergeant, 1st Special Operations Wing Staff Agency & 1st Special Operations Air Operations Squadron Hurlburt Field FL
(September 2015 – February 2016, First Sergeant, Joint Special Operations Air Component Afghanistan)
8. March 2016 – October 2017, First Sergeant, 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
9. November 2017 – November 2018, First Sergeant, 823d RED HORSE Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
(November 2017 – May 2018, First Sergeant, Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
10. December 2018 – March 2019, Security Forces DAGRE Program Manager, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL
11. April 2019 – February 2021, Operations Superintendent, 23d Security Forces Squadron, Moody AFB, FL
12. March 2021 – February 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 820th Combat Operations Squadron, Moody AFB, FL
13. March 2022 – June 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 23d Security Forces Squadron, Moody AFB, FL
14. July 2023 – July 2025, Command First Sergeant, Senior Enlisted Leader, Headquarters Commandant, United States Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany
15. July 2025 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 412th Mission Support Group, Edwards AFB, CA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force and Space Achievement Medal with two bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Air Force’s Best Large Security Forces Squadron
2003 Air Combat Command’s Best Medium Security Forces Squadron
2013 Air Force Special Operations Squadron Best Large Security Forces Squadron
2021 Air Combat Command’s Best Small Security Forces Squadron
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class June 9, 1999
Senior Airman April 9, 2001
Staff Sergeant February 1, 2003
Technical Sergeant June 1, 2007
Master Sergeant March 1, 2012
Senior Master Sergeant September 1, 2016
Chief Master Sergeant January 1, 2022
(Current as of July 2025)