CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT VIRGIL A. CASTRO
CMSgt Virgil A. Castro is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for Air Force Global Strike Command’s 91st Missile Wing, Minot Air Force Base (AFB), N.D. As the senior enlisted leader, he represents more than 2,000 personnel assigned to operate, secure, and maintain 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), spread across 8,500 square-miles of northwest North Dakota. Chief Castro helps shape and advocate for the wing commander’s organizational goals, objectives, and policies to the enlisted corps. He ensures adherence to standards enabling the delivery of a combat-ready nuclear force with a team of highly disciplined, lethal Airmen, committed to excellence, supporting the President of the United States and his combatant commanders. He also ensures mission readiness by focusing on effective utilization, qualification training, professional development, morale, welfare, and quality of life issues for the wing’s Airmen and their families.
CMSgt Castro enlisted in the Air Force in November 2002 from West Palm Beach, Fla., as a Missile and Space Systems Maintainer. During his tenure in the Air Force, he has been stationed at six bases and held various technical and leadership positions at ICBM Squadrons and at Headquarters Twentieth Air Force. CMSgt Castro has 23 years of ICBM knowledge and experience and performed duties as a Missile Maintenance Team Chief, Evaluator, Numbered Air Force Lead, and Air Force Inspection Agency Nuclear Surety Inspector. He has significant Joint Service experience and participated in several operations, exercises, and deployed in direct support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and SPARTAN SHIELD. Prior to his current position, the chief was the Senior Enlisted Leader, 377th Test and Evaluation Group, Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB), Calif.
EDUCATION
2007 Airman Leadership School, Minot AFB, N.D.
2008 Maintenance Instructor Course, Twentieth Air Force ICBM Center of Excellence, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
2009 Maintenance Evaluator Course, Twentieth Air Force ICBM Center of Excellence, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
2010 Associate Degree, Missile & Space Systems Maintenance, CCAF, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2014 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2015 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, by correspondence 2015 Bachelor of Science, Organizational Management, Ashford University, Clinton, Iowa (Magna Cum Laude)
2019 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2021 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course II, by correspondence
2022 Master of Business Administration, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
2023 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2003 - March 2008, Technician, Missile Maintenance Team, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
2. March 2008 - June 2009, Technician, Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
3. June 2009 - March 2011, Team Chief, Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. March 2011 - August 2013, Evaluator, Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
5. August 2013 - September 2016, Command Lead, Mechanical and Pneudraulics/Survivable Systems, Twentieth AFB, F. E Warren AFB, Wyo.
6. September 2016 - May 2018, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Mechanical and Pneudraulics Section, 791st Maintenance Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
7. May 2018 - September 2018, Section Chief, Vehicles and Equipment Section, 791st Maintenance Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
8. September 2018 - May 2019, NCOIC, Missile Maintenance Team Section, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
9. May 2019 -September 2020, Flight Chief, Facilities Flight, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
10. September 2020 - June 2023, Superintendent, Maintenance Division, Nuclear Inspections Directorate, Department of the Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M. (October 2021 - May 2022, Superintendent, Inspector General and Wing Staff Agency, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
11. June 2023 - January 2025, Senior Enlisted Leader, 741st Maintenance Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
12. January 2025 - June 2026, Senior Enlisted Leader, 377th Test and Evaluation Group, Vandenberg SFB, Calif.
13. June 2026 -Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Humanitarian Service Medal
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with one service star
Nuclear Deterrence Service Medal with three “N” devices
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic Nov. 12, 2002
Airman First Class May 12, 2003
Senior Airman Nov. 12, 2005
Staff Sergeant Jan. 1, 2008
Technical Sergeant April 1, 2013
Master Sergeant March 1, 2017
Senior Master Sergeant Feb. 1, 2020
Chief Master Sergeant Aug. 1, 2023
(Current as of June 2026)