Chief Master Sergeant CESAR FLORES

CMSgt Cesar Flores is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy. He is the principal advisor to the commander on all matters concerning readiness, professional development, and quality of life for over 5,000 personnel consisting of 4,200 active-duty military members, 300 U.S. and 700 Italian civilian employees. Chief Flores advises the only permanently assigned U.S. Air Force Fighter Wing in NATO’s Southern Region on strategic directives to conduct and support air combat operations and maintain munitions for NATO.


The wing’s diverse mission sets are executed by Airmen that fly, maintain, and support two F-16CM Fighting Falcon fighter squadrons, two MQ-9 expeditionary attack squadrons, two combat search and rescue squadrons equipped with HH-60 Pavehawks and Pararescue Airmen, U.S. Air Forces Europe’s only air control squadron, as well as agile combat support squadrons, medical squadrons, and numerous wing staff agencies.


Chief Flores entered the military in July 1999. His career began with a three-year enlistment in the U.S. Army where he served as an Airborne Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. After being honorably discharged in 2002, Chief Flores attended college for 18 months before joining the Air Force in January 2004. His background as an Airman includes five years in Security Forces and more than nine years as an Instructor and Evaluator Boom Operator on the KC-135R/T before cross-flowing to the Remote Piloted Aircraft Sensor Operator career field in August 2016. Chief Flores has a rich depth of combat experience and has deployed nine times in support of Operations ALLIED FORCE, JOINT GUARDIAN, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, ODYSEEY DAWN, JUNIPER MICRON, and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.


Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Flores served as the 97th Air Mobility Wing Command Chief at Altus AFB, Oklahoma and maintained his Instructor Boom Operator flying status on the KC-135 Stratotanker.


EDUCATION
1999 Army School of Infantry, Fort Benning, Ga.
1999 Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga.
2002 Army Primary Leadership Development Course, Fort Bragg, N.C.
2004 Security Forces Apprentice Course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2005 Airman Leadership School, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2010 Boom Operator Initial Qualification Course, KC-135, Altus AFB, Okla. 2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2010 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy Course 14, Non-Residence
2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, Non-Residence 2011 Central Flight Instructor Course, KC-135, Altus AFB, Okla.
2011 Additional Duty First Sergeants Seminar, McConnell AFB, Kan.
2011 Associate Degree, Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force 2011 Associate Degree, Aviation Operations, Community College of the Air Force 2014 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Residence), Gunter Annex, Ala. 2014 Bachelor’s Degree, Criminal Justice, Southwestern College, Winfield, Kan.
2016 Basic Sensor Operator Course, Randolph AFB, Texas
2017 Sensor Operator Initial Qualification Course, MQ-9, Holloman AFB, N.M.
2017 Chief Leadership Course (Residence), Gunter Annex, Ala.
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course II, Non-Residence
2018 Associate Degree, Space Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2019 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Andrews AFB, Md.
2019 Institute for Defense & Business CPI for Executives Course, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 Master’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, University of Louisville, Ky.
U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E
2020 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Judge Advocate General’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 2019 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.


ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 – July 2002, Fire Team Leader, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. (January – June 2001, M203 Grenadier, NATO KFOR, Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo)
2. January 2004 – October 2006, Security Forces Patrolman, 325th Security Forces Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (July 2005 – January 2006, Fire Team Leader, 407 ESFS, Ali Base, Iraq)
3. October 2006 – April 2009, Security Forces Flight Chief, 325 SFS, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (May – December 2007, Fire Team Leader, 586 ESFS, Camp Bucca, Iraq)
4. May 2009 – April 2011, NCOIC, Flight Scheduling, 384th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan. (Aug – Oct 2009/Mar – Apr 2010/June – August 2010, Combat Aircrew Boom Operator, 340 EARS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
5. April 2011 – July 2012, Squadron Superintendent/Evaluator Boom Operator, 384th Air Refueling Sq, McConnell AFB, Kan. (May – November 2011, Squadron Superintendent/Chief Boom, 340 EARS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
6. July 2012 – August 2013, Wing Inspector General Superintendent, 22d Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
7. August 2013 – August 2016, Squadron Superintendent, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, England
8. August 2016 – January 2017, Chief Enlisted Manager, 15th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
9. January 2017 – May 2018, Squadron Supt/432d Wing 1UX0 FM, 22d Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
10. June 2018 – June 2021, Group Superintendent, 100th Operations Group/401st Air Expeditionary Group, RAF Mildenhall, England
11. June 2021 – July 2023, Command Chief, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, OK
12. July 2023 – Present, Command Chief, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy


FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Aircrew Member
Flight Hours: more than 2,275 including more than 900 combat hours

Flown: KC-135R/T and MQ-9A


MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal


OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 Commandant’s List/Distinguished Graduate, Primary Leadership Development Course, US Army
2005 John L. Levitow Award, Airman Leadership School
2005 Air Education Training Command Outstanding Security Forces Airman of the Year
2007 16th Military Police Brigade Combat Excellence Award, Camp Bucca, Iraq
2008 Distinguished Graduate, Aircrew Fundamentals
2008 Distinguished Graduate, Basic Boom Operator Course
2009 Distinguished Graduate, Boom Operator Initial Qualification Course
2010 Commandant’s Award and Distinguished Graduate, NCO Academy
2011 22d Operations Group SNCO of the Year
2012 Air Mobility Command League of United Latin American Citizens “Excellence in Military Service” Award
2012 AMC Marathon Team Selection
2013 AMC LULAC “Excellence in Military Service” Award
2013 AMC Marathon Team Selection
2015 Air Force SMSgt Albert L. Evans Outstanding Air Refueling Section of the Year Award
2016 Academic Achievement Award, Basic Sensor Operator Course
2019 2x Boston Marathon Qualifier and Finisher

(Current as of Aug 2023)