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AMC welcomes new command chief master sergeant

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sergeant Trish Freeland
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AMCNS) --  Opportunity, service, patriotism. Those are words Chief Master Sergeant Joseph Barron lives by, and they are themes he’ll share with Airmen as he travels base to base as the newest command chief master sergeant for the Air Mobility Command.

Chief Barron reported for duty with AMC April 10 after a 16-month stint as the 2nd Air Force command chief master sergeant at Keesler AFB, Miss. He quickly got busy getting to know the people who make up AMC starting with the men and women at Scott Air Force Base.

“It’s an honor for me to be here. I’m thrilled to be a part of AMC, and I’m excited to serve with all of our fine Airmen across this great command,” said Chief Barron.

The chief’s past experiences include special duty assignments with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Air Force Recruiting Service and as first sergeant for the Air Force Thunderbirds. He said every job has enabled him to do the one thing he loves doing the most - helping others.

“My main focus is to take care of the people. It’s not about me or my goals. It’s about our people, their families, their concerns and needs,” he said. “That’s what my primary focus will be.”

The chief has been serving others in one way or another since he was 13 years old. Before joining the Air Force, he worked in a kitchen cooking and washing dishes. But his future held more than sinks full of dirty dishes.

“I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life. I was just an average American citizen and I wanted to serve my country,” said Chief Barron. I’ve always been patriotic. I love the red, white and blue. I wanted to travel and it seemed like there were so many opportunities in the military.”

Six months after graduation from Parsippany High School in New Jersey, he entered the Air Force in December 1979. Just 16 years after entering active duty, he became a senior master sergeant serving as first sergeant to the highly selective Thunderbirds Demonstration Team. But despite the impressive resume, the Chief never set his sights on any one particular position. It was those who mentored him who steered him toward the command chief path.

“Anytime someone sees potential in you and suggests you do something … it’s an opportunity. I’ve never had a bad assignment,” he said.

Chief Barron’s assignment to Keesler presented another opportunity … to see Airmen triumph through adversity. When Hurricane Katrina hit the base last summer, the chief, like many others, lost his home, car and everything else.

“That was not fun. But that was the most rewarding experience I had ever been through. Seeing our Airmen … before, during and after, and the way they responded…the way they came together … and the way our Airmen can get anything done no matter what the circumstances, made me want to serve another 30 years,” said Chief Barron. “I could not have been more proud to be there with them and to serve with them at a time when we were going through such devastation.”

As the AMC command chief, Chief Barron serves as the principal adviser to the AMC commander on all enlisted issues. His responsibilities include keeping the commander apprised of all matters concerning the health, morale and welfare of more than 43,000 enlisted members assigned to the command and coordinating on matters of administration and implementation of command policy.