Chief Master Sgt. Kevin J. Jurgella is the Command Chief, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. He's responsible to the commander for the effective employment, professional development, good order and discipline of 3,620 personnel. As the wing's senior enlisted leader, Chief Jurgella is the primary advisor to the installation commander on all matters concerning the welfare, morale, effective utilization, professional development and career progression of the enlisted force. He represents the commander on numerous base & local agency councils, committees, boards & civic functions. In addition, he communicates the commander's policies to all levels of senior leadership at America's only dual-wing, nuclear-capable base.
Chief Jurgella was born in San Mateo, Calif., and in 1982 graduated from Stevens Point Area Senior High School, Stevens Point, Wis. In the summer of 1984, he enlisted in the USAF and reported to Lackland AFB, Texas, where he attended basic military training.
Chief Jurgella began his career as a chief enlisted aircrew member, having flown over 5,400 flight hours onboard U.S. Air Force E-3A AWACS, NATO NE-3A AWACS, EC-130E ABCCC and E-8C JSTARS aircraft. Further, he has flown 63 combat and 34 combat support sorties while deployed in support of Operations DENY FLIGHT, ALLIED FORCE, IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. His CONUS assignments include bases in Oklahoma, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia and North Dakota and his OCONUS assignments include bases in Alaska, Germany and Belgium.
EDUCATION
1987 Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Course, Tinker AFB, Okla.
1989 Noncommissioned Officer Leadership School, Tinker AFB, Okla.
1994 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapon Air Station, Germany
1995 Associate degree in airway sciences, Community College of the Air Force
1998 Bachelor of Science degree in managerial studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
2004 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Masters of Business Administration degree, Touro University International, Cypress, Calif.
2007 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air Force Smart Operations 21 Executive Leadership Course, Knoxville, Tenn.
2010 Gettysburg Leadership Experience, Gettysburg, Pa.
2010 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Management Seminar, Darden Business School, Charlottesville, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1984 - October 1984, trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. October 1984 - December 1984, student, Airborne C2 Training course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. December 1985 - April 1985, student, E-3 Air Surveillance Technical course, Tinker AFB, Okla.
4. April 1985 - September 1988, air surveillance technician, 963 Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker
AFB, Okla.
5. September 1988 - April 1989, academic instructor, air surveillance technical course, 552nd Tactical
Training Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
6. April 1989 - April 1992, noncommissioned officer in charge, squadron exercises, 962d Airborne Air
Control Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
7. April 1992 - April 1993, NATO E-3A air surveillance technician, Squadron 3, Geilenkirchen AB,
Germany
8. April 1993 - April 1997, NATO E-3A Warning & Control Systems Operator/Mission System Operator,
NATO E-3A Training Wing, Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
9. April 1997 - April 1998, noncommissioned officer in charge, NATO E-3A Operations Wing Training,
Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
10. April 1998 - December 1999, superintendent, Mission Planning Cell, airborne strike controller, 42d
Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
11. December 1999 - December 2000, superintendent, Weapons and Tactics, airborne strike controller,
42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. December 2000 - December 2001, flight superintendent/instructor, airborne strike controller, 42d
Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
13. December 2001 - September 2002, superintendent, Standardization & Evaluation/Evaluator Airborne
Strike Controller, 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
14. September 2002 - September 2003, assistant operations superintendent/senior director technician,
128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Warner Robins AFB, Ga.
15. September 2003 - May 2005, operations superintendent/instructor senior director technician, 128th
Air Combat Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Ga.
16. May 2005 - October 2007, Superintendent, HQ NAEW&C FC Planning and Performance Division,
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Mons, Belgium
17. November 2007 - September 2009, Functional Area Manager, Airborne Command and Control
Systems Manager/1A4, HQ ACC/A3YA, Langley AFB, Va.
18. October 2009 - July 2011, Command Chief, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
19. July 2011 - Present, Command Chief, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Staff Sergeant Jun. 1, 1990
Technical Sergeant Mar. 1, 1997
Master Sergeant Jul. 1, 2000
Senior Master Sergeant Dec. 1, 2004
Chief Master Sergeant Oct. 1, 2007
(Current as of August 2011)