CMSgt Thomas M. Podgorski is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 2d Maintenance Group, 2d Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Chief Podgorski is the principal enlisted advisor to the Group Commander on all matters regarding leadership, mentorship, training, morale, and welfare for 2,000 Total Force Airmen. He is responsible for overseeing logistics and maintenance for 29 B-52H aircraft valued at 2.4 billion dollars, providing the wing with an unmatched global strike capability to execute operations in 11 Combatant Commands. He organizes, trains, and equips personnel to perform safe and compliant maintenance and manages the group’s manpower needs for 27 career fields ensuring human capital management, utilization, education and training all remain aligned to support operational requirements.
CMSgt Podgorski grew up in Warwick, Rhode lsland and enlisted into the Air Force in September 2000. His background includes various duties in aircraft weapons loading, aircraft management and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He has aircraft experience with the F-16, F-22, PA-200, B-2, and the B-52. His assignments include bases in Utah, Italy, New Mexico, Missouri, and South Korea. He also served overseas in Belgium, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, Guam, United Kingdom, Turkey, Al Udeid and Iraq with numerous deployments in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Prior to his current position, he was the Wing Weapons Manger, 2d Maintenance Group, 2d Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base Louisiana.
EDUCATION
2005 Airman Leadership School, Aviano Air Base (AB), Italy
2013 Senior Joint Enlisted Professional Military Education, by distance learning
2013 Nuclear Managers Course, Ramstein AB, Germany
2013 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Ramstein AB, Germany 2014 Associate Degree, Aircraft Armament Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2016 Professional Managers Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2017 Senior Joint Enlisted Professional Military Education II, by distance learning
2017 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2021 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Academy, Air University, by virtual correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2000 – November 2000, trainee, Basic Military Training, 322d Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), Texas 2. November 2000 – April 2001, student, Aircraft Armament Systems, 363d Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. April 2001 – November 2004, Armament Maintenance Team Member, 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah (May 2003 – September 2003, Armament Maintenance Team Member, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group, Al Udeid Air Base (AB), Qatar) 4. November 2004 – November 2009, F-16 Weapons Load Crew Member, 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; F-16 Weapons Load Crew Chief, 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy (April 2005 – September 2005, Weapons Load Crew Member, 510th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Balad AB, Iraq) (January 2007 – May 2007, Weapons Load Crew Chief, 510th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Balad AB, Iraq) 5. November 2009 – February 2012, F-22 Weapons Expediter, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
6. February 2012 – May 2013, Quality Assurance Inspector, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. May 2013 – November 2015, Senior Load Monitor, 704th Munitions Support Squadron, Ghedi AB, Italy
8. November 2015 – June 2017, B-2 Weapons Maintenance NCOIC, 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Missouri
9. June 2017 – July 2020, B-2 Weapons Standardization Superintendent, 509th Maintenance Group, Whiteman AFB, Missouri
10. July 2020 – March 2023, Wing Weapons Manager, 2d Maintenance Group, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana 11. March 2023 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 2d Maintenance Group, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2011 Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award, 49th Maintenance Group
2014 Armament Manager of the Year, 704th Munitions Support Squadron
2014 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Maintenance Professional of the Year, 52d Munitions Maintenance Group
2014 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 52 Munitions Maintenance Group
2015 Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award, 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group
2017 Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award, Air Force Global Strike Command
2018 Nuclear Deterrence Operations Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 509th Bomb Wing
2018 Armament Manager of the Year, 509th Bomb Wing
2019 Nuclear Deterrence Operations Professional Team of the Year, 509th Bomb Wing
2019 General Larry D. Welch Award, United States Air Force
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic 27 September 2000
Airman 27 March 2001
Airman First Class 27 January 2002
Senior Airmen 27 March 2003
Staff Sergeant 1 December 2005
Technical Sergeant 1 June 2010
Master Sergeant 1 May 2014
Senior Master Sergeant 1 January 2018
Chief Master Sergeant 1 November 2020
(Current as of March 2023)