Chief Master Sergeant Heath T. Tempel is Command Chief, 96th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He leads more than 9,800 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, in accomplishing the 96th Test Wing’s missions of developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, aircraft avionics and guidance systems, and radar cross section measurement. The 96th Test Wing has eight groups and 32 squadrons, operates 38 uniquely modified test aircraft, and manages 120,000 square miles of over-water test ranges plus facilities in six states. He also directs all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support for the Air Force’s largest installation at 724 square miles. The 96th Test Wing hosts eight tenant wings and wing equivalent units—to include the 33d Fighter Wing (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter), U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Center—and 37 other associate units including the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Training Battalion and the 20th Space Control Squadron. As command chief, he interacts with local officials across a three- county, 11-city region with an annual military economic impact of $2.7 billion.
HIs previous assignment was the instructor at the Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama.
CMSgt Tempel entered the Air Force in December of 1996 and completed Explosive Ordnance Disposal technical training in September of 1997. He has completed multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, accumulating over 3000 hours outside the wire and overseeing the elimination of more than 500 improvised explosive devices. As a CMSgt, he served at a variety of levels, including duty as a Squadron Superintendent, Major Command Functional, Headquarters Senior Enlisted Leader and Wing Command Chief.
EDUCATION:
2008 Senior Enlisted Joint Enlisted PME
2009 Associates in Applied Science, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Community College of the Air Force
2011 Professional Manager’s Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Civil Engineer Squadron Superintendent’s Course, AFIT, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2016 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint PME II
2017 Continuous Process Improvement for Executives, Washington D.C.
2018 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina
2019 Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course, Maxwell-Gunter, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. September 1997 – June 2007, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Craftsman, Moody AFB, Ga.
2. June 2007 – May 2012, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight Chief, Eielson AFB, Alaska
3. October 2012 – August 2014, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Superintendent, Cannon AFB, N.M.
4. August 2014 – December 2015, Superintendent, 27 Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
5. January 2016 – July 2017, USAFCENT Chief of EOD Forces and USAFCENT Shaw SEL, Shaw AFB, S.C.
6. July 2017 – August 2019, Command Chief, 435 Air Ground Operations Wg/435 Air Expeditionary Wg, Ramstein AB, Germany
7. September 2019 - September 2021, Instructor, USAF CMSgt Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
8. Mar 2020 – Aug 20, Acting Command Chief, Barnes Center for Enlisted Education
9. October 2021 - Present, Command Chief, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Navy Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School
Distinguished Graduate and Commandant’s Award, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
Pacific Air Forces 12 Outstanding Airmen (NCO)
Lance P. Sijan Award (11th AF)
Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
Stryzak Award, Best EOD Flight in Air Force
CMSgt Larry R. Daniels Award, Outstanding Civil Engineer Superintendent (AF runner-up)
Lance P. Sijan Award (AFSOC)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Chief Master Sergeant December 2014
(Current as of Jul 2021)