Chief Master Sergeant Christopher S. Bluto, Jr. is the Command Chief, 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. He advises the 10th Air Force Commander on all matters concerning the health, morale, welfare and effective management of more than 20,000 Reserve members at 30 locations. Covering all fighter, bomber, special operations, rescue, airborne warning and control, remotely-piloted aircraft, fighter and bomber flying-training missions, combat air operations battle staff, remotely-piloted aircraft, space, cyber, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance units in the Air Force Reserve Command. He provides leadership and guidance as the commander's representative to numerous committees, councils and boards, and at military functions throughout the command.
Chief Bluto entered the Air Force in 1996, attending Air Force Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He has held a variety of positions within the remotely piloted aircraft community to include evaluator sensor operator, operations superintendent, squadron superintendent, and operations group superintendent. Prior to his current assignment, Bluto was the Command Chief for the 482d Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida.
He has accrued more than 4,600 combined flight hours in the MQ-1B and MQ-9 weapon systems, deploying in support of Operation Joint Forge, Operation Allied Force, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1996 Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
1996 Basic Imagery Analyst Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
1997 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Sensor Operator Course, Indian Springs, Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nev. 1998 Predator UAV Instructor Sensor Operator Course, Indian Springs AFAF, Nev.
1998 Joint Firepower Control Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2002 Airman Leadership School, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C. 2008 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kirkland AFB, N.M. 2011 Senior NCO Academy, by correspondence
2013 Associates Degree, Intelligence Studies and Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Associates Degree, Air and Space Operations Technology, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2014 SNCO Leadership Development Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2014 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence 2015 Chief Orientation Course, Warner Robins AFB, Ga.
2017 Command Chief Orientation Course, Warner Robins AFB, Ga.
2018 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Co.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1996-August 1996, Student Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 1996-February 1997, Student, Imagery Analysis Training Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. February 1997-September 1999, Instructor Sensor Operator, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Indian Springs AFAF, Nev.
4. September 1999-September 2002, Instructor Sensor Operator, 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, Indian Springs AFAF, Nev.
5. September 2002-October 2004, NCOIC of Weapons and Tactics, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, Indian Springs, AFAF. Nev.
6. October 2004-October 2005, Imagery Shift Supervisor, 607th Air Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
7. October 2005-March 2006, Student, Predator UAV Sensor Operator Course, Creech AFB, Nev.
8. March 2006-November 2008, Evaluator Sensor Operator/C Flight NCOIC, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
9. November 2008-July 2011, Operations NCOIC/Evaluator Sensor Operator, 26th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. July 2011-October 2012, Evaluator Sensor Operator/17th Reconnaissance Squadron Operations Superintendent, 78th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
11. October 2012-April 2013, Operations Superintendent/Evaluator Sensor Operator, 926th Group, Det 1, Creech AFB, Nev.
12. April 2013-March 2014, Operations Superintendent, 91st Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
13. March 2014-January 2016, Superintendent, 91st Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
14. January 2016-September 2017, Chief Enlisted Manager, 726th Operations Group, Creech AFB, Nev.
15. October 2017-July 2019, Command Chief, 926th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
16. August 2019–April 2022 Command Chief, 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.
17. April 2022-present Command Chief, Tenth Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: RPA evaluator sensor operator Flight hours: more than 4,600
Aircraft flown: MQ-1B and MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
National Intelligence Certificate of Distinction
Meritorious Service Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with 22 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary
Medal Kosovo Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2014 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter, 924th Fighter Group
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant Feb. 1, 2015
(Current as of June 2022)