Wheatfield, N.Y, Air National Guard member named top enlisted Airman in U.S. 1st Air Force

Command Chief Master Sgt. Richard King was formerly top enlisted leader in New York Air National Guard

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Command Chief Master Sgt. Richard King ( right) receives the guidon of 1st Air Force from Lt. Gen. Scott Williams during transition ceremonies on August 16 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

LATHAM, NY (08/18/2016)(readMedia)-- A Wheatfield resident who served as the top enlisted leader for the New York Air National Guard from 2010 until July of this year, is now the top enlisted Airman in the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Continental U.S. Region and 1st Air Force.

Chief Master Sgt. Richard King took over his new duties as Command Chief Master Sgt. of this command, also known as Air Force North, during an August 16 ceremony at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

King, a retired Niagara Falls, N. Y. Police Officer who left the force in 2009, previously served as the Command Chief of the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing, before assuming his statewide role in 2010.

In his new role, King will be the senior enlisted advisor to Air Force Lt. Gen. Scott Williams.

"Any chance I have to lead Airmen, I want to do it!" King said. "I feel I owe it to the servicemen and women who sacrificed everything to give 100 percent. I'm ready to sprint for the next two years."

As the command chief, his responsibilities include advising Williams on matters regarding the health, morale and welfare of assigned enlisted personnel and their families.

First Air Force is one of three numbered-air forces assigned to Air Combat Command and is responsible for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States. As the continental U.S. geographical component of NORAD, it provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs all air sovereignty activities for the continental United States.

First Air Force includes the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and the 702nd Computer Support Squadron at Tyndall AFB. First Air force is also responsible for the Eastern Air Defense Sector, manned by New York Air National Guard members in Rome, N.Y. and the Western Air Defense Sector at McChord Air Force Base in Washington state.

The First Air Force headquarters is also responsible for nine aligned Air National Guard fighter wings. The best of USAF's aircraft inventory, the F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and the E-3 Sentry are some of the weapons systems used to perform this mission.

King was born and raised in Niagara Falls. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1978 and has served in the Air Force Security Police and Security Forces.

He transferred to the Air National Guard in 1982 and served in a number of leadership positions in the 107th Security Forces Squadron, including First Sergeant and Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Combat Arms Training.

He has deployed to Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean as a security forces Airman.

King's awards include the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Medal, and the New York State Medal for Valor, the New York Defense of Liberty Ribbon, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.