The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Local woman named Air National Guard's top airman

Chief Master Sgt. Tamara Phillips of Dayton, who has been chosen the new senior enlisted airman for the Ohio Air National Guard. Phillips is both the first female and first African-American state command chief in the Ohio Air National Guard.

Motorcyclist dies in wreck near Cedarville
Updated 2 min. ago
Alpaca 'gurgling and in pain' in back of truck
Updated 4 min. ago
Oakwood police looking for woman cashing fake checks
6:54 p.m.
Mother, grandmother in Amber Alert case released
6:08 p.m.
PNC Bank invests $336K in Dayton preschoolers
5:14 p.m.
> More headlines

By Margo Rutledge Kissell Staff Writer, Staff Writer Updated 3:12 PM Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Chief Master Sgt. Tamara Phillips of Huber Heights has been chosen as the new senior enlisted airman for the Ohio Air National Guard.

She is its first female and first black state command chief.

“Chief Master Sgt. Phillip’s extensive background in personnel makes her a superb choice to serve as the senior enlisted advisor on our Air team,” Maj. Gen. Harry “A.J.” Feucht, Ohio’s assistant adjutant general for Air, said in a news release.

Phillips, 41, replaces Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy, who grew up in the Dayton area and was recently selected for the top enlisted job at the national level.

As the state command chief, Phillips serves as a mentor and guide for the 5,000 airmen. Her two grown children, daughter Jazmyn, 21, and son Brent, 20, are among those airmen.

Phillips enlisted in the 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in 1987 as an administrative specialist. She transferred to the Air Force Reserve’s 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for 18 months and then enlisted in the Ohio Air National Guard.

In 2005, she became the first female chief for the Springfield-based 178th Fighter Wing after holding positions as information management supervisor and wing commander’s executive administrative assistant. From 2002 through earlier this year, she served as Mission Support Flight superintendent of the fighter wing. In April, she became Forces Support Squadron superintendent.

Early in her career, Phillips had set the goal of becoming chief master sergeant but never imagined becoming the new state command chief.

“That was not part of my plan,” said Phillips, who believes she’ll be able to do a lot more for the enlisted Ohio Air National Guard troops.

“There’s going to be some challenges and adventure to this position and I’m excited for all of that,” said Phillips, who grew up a military brat. Her stepfather is a retired Air Force master sergeant and her husband, Brent, also served in the Air Force.

Phillips has enjoyed her career in the military, though she knows it’s not for everybody.

“It’s not what you see on TV either. I think there’s a lot of misconceptions that people get from watching too much TV. They always see women in real subservient roles or action-packed roles, Rambo like. It’s not like that.

“In the National Guard, you can pretty much have a career doing anything you aspire to do on the outside,” she said.

But, the job also requires going “above and beyond because we also serve the nation,” she said. “There’s honor in that.”

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

You go girl! I can always say I knew you when. Congrats, I know you will do a great job! I am so proud of you.

Rachel H.

imcold
8:29 PM, 8/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Thanks everyone! Your comments and words of encourage are greatly appreciated.

For those that put others down in order to lift themselves up, good luck with that. It's obvious from Tamara's career and accomplishments that people like you have not and will discourage her. So continue on with your petty critiques and insults, it only goes to show how small you are and unsatisfied with your life. As for Tamara and I will keep on keeping on.

Thx again
bp

bpsr
11:48 AM, 8/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Mark, there's no need to be jealous of CMST Phillips. If you would devote yourself and your time to worthier pursuits than disparaging the accomplishments of others, then MAYBE one day you too could reasonably aspire to the stature and prestige that Phillips has rightfully attained. Think on the bright side, and stay positive.

CYG
1:56 AM, 8/5/2009

REPORT ABUSE

PBM - That's the second time you have posted the same comment. The first one was deleted because you tried to throw some inappropriate innuendo into the comment. A typo...SO WHAT?!?!?! Since you want to call out mistakes, your ellipsis is incorrect.

Information
5:05 PM, 8/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Yes Mark, this is news!!! At least it proves that something more than drug dealers/addicts, murders and rapist comes out of Dayton. Which are you?

Toni T
4:41 PM, 8/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 6 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.