Check Six: State Senior Enlisted Advisors

Posted on Jun 24, 2022 in Check Six

The Air National Guard established a Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) position in each state headquarters in 1978. The position title changed to Command Chief in the 1990s. In the same period, the design of the chief master sergeant rank insignia changed.

Air National Guard photograph – click to enlarge

The state SEA’s in this April 1984 picture above are the second or third State SEA’s for their respective states since the ANG established the position in 1978. Hawaii’s SEA, CMSgt George Ah Chong, is front row, third from the right.

CMSgt Bernie Carbon, ANG Senior Enlisted Advisor #3 (front row, second from the left). Also in the picture is TSgt Donna Fuller the ANG SEA Administrative Assistant and CMSgt Lynn Alexander, ANG SEA #2 (front row, first on the right). The ANG (NGB) is now on their 13th SEA / Command Chief – CMSgt Maurice L. Williams

Unfortunately, some states have forgotten the early pioneers in the position and started with the change in title.

In the Hawaii Air National Guard, these Chief Master Sergeants served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor / Command Chief over the years.

Harry Awana (passed)

George Ah Chong

George Sato (passed)

Arthur Lee (passed)

Delbert Dandurant (passed)

Stanley Gomes

Kent Billings

Denise Jelinski-Hall

Robert Lee III

* Rob was double hatted when he became the Hawaii National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader

William Parker

Alvin Fritz

Zandra Fox

Denise Jelinski-Hall went on to become the Senior Enlisted Advisor to General Craig McKinley, the Chief, National Guard Bureau.