Chief Forbes serves as the Senior Enlisted Leader and principal advisor to the Wing Commander on matters pertaining to health, welfare, morale, discipline, development and utilization of more than 1200 enlisted personnel. The 142nd Wing comprises three major weapon systems – the F-15 Mission Design Series aircraft in support of 24/7 Aerospace Control Alert, the 125th Special Tactics Squadron, and the 116th Air Control Squadron. Additionally, the 142nd Wing provides robust domestic operations and response capability, including Explosive Ordinance Disposal and a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) for the Oregon Military Department and the Office of Emergency Response.
Chief Forbes joined the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1987 as a Drill Status Guardsman assigned to the 142nd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Avionics Flight Line section, working on the F-4 Phantom aircraft. After completion of Basic Military Training and Recon Electro-Optical Photo Sensors training at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, he returned home to start his college education. Chief Forbes’ full time Technician career began in February 1997 following graduation with a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology and Technical Writing certification. In October 1999, Chief Forbes was assigned 142nd Fighter Wing Operations Security Manager overseeing all aspects of Advanced Programs Security. In June 2005, he was reassigned 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Avionics Flight Chief. Subsequently, Chief Forbes was selected in May 2010 as Avionics First Line Supervisor and was promoted in April 2012 to Avionics Element Supervisor, overseeing all aspects of the 142nd Wing Avionics career field. In August 2017, Chief Forbes was selected as Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Superintendent overseeing the maintenance and production efforts of the Aerospace Control Alert, Avionics Flight Line, Tactical Aircraft Maintenance and the Weapons Loading and Armament sections. In April 2019, Chief Forbes deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL. Upon return from deployment in December 2019, Chief Forbes was selected as 142nd Maintenance Group Senior Enlisted Leader. In September 2022, Chief Forbes was reassigned to the 142nd Medical Group as Senior Enlisted Leader overseeing the Guard Medical Unit and the CERFP Detachment-1. Over the past 36 years, Chief Forbes has been privilidged to participate in numerous deployments and operations such as CORONET NIGHTHAWK, NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, NOBLE EAGLE, ATLANTIC RESOLVE, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and the NATO Resolute Support mission. Prior to his current position, Chief Forbes was assigned as Senior Enlisted Leader, 142nd Medical Group, 142nd Wing, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon.
EDUCATION
1988 USAF Recon/Electro-Optical Photo Sensors Systems Maintenance Course, Lowry AFB, Colo.
1993 Associates of Applied Science Electronics Engineering Technology, Portland Community College, Ore.
1993 Technical Writing Certificate Program, Portland Community College, Ore.
1996 A-10, F-15 & U-2 Instruments and Flight Control Systems Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
1998 A-10, F-15 & U-2 Integrated Attack Control Systems Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence.
1999 A-10, F-15 & U-2 Communications, Navigation & Counter-Measures Sys Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
EDUCATION CON’T.
2002 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 F-15/F-111 Advanced Avionics Maintenance Troubleshooting Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2005 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Gunter Annex, Ala.
2015 Associate of Applied Science Degree, Avionics Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2018 Air National Guard Chief Master Sergeant Executive Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2020 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., by correspondence
2021 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., by correspondence
2022 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Maxwell Gunter Annex AFB, Ala.
2022 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1987-December 1987, Drill Status Guardsman, 142nd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Portland Air National Guard Base (PANGB), Ore.
2. December 1987-January 1988, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
3. January 1988-August 1988, Student, Technical Training School, Lowry AFB, Colo.
4. September 1988-September 1996, Avionics Sensor Maintenance Craftsman, 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), PANGB, Ore.
5. September 1996-October 1999, A-10,F-15 & U-2Avionics Systems Craftsman, 142nd AMXS, PANGB, Ore. (February 1998 – March 1998, Avionics Systems Craftsman, 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey)
6. October 1999-June 2005, Advanced Programs Security Manager, 142nd Fighter Wing, PANGB, Ore. (September 2000 – October 2000, Advanced Programs Security Manager, 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
7. June 2005-April 2010, Fighter Aircraft Integrated Avionics Craftsman, 142nd AMXS, PANGB, Ore.
8. May 2010-April 2012, Avionics Supervisor, 142nd AMXS, PANGB, Ore.
9. April 2012-August 2017, Avionics Element Supervisor, 142nd AMXS, PANGB, Ore. (June 2015 – October 2015, Avionics Superintendent, 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 71st Air Base, Campia Turzii, Romania)
10. August 2017 – December 2019, AMXS Superintendent, 142nd AMXS, PANGB, Ore. (March 2018 – June 2018, Operations Security Manager, 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 52nd Operations Group, Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands and Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria; April 2019-October 2019, AMXS Superintendent, 405th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
11. December 2019 – September 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 142nd Maintenance Group, PANGB, Ore.
12. September 2022 – June 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 142nd Medical Group, PANGB, Ore.
13. June 2023–Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 142nd Wing, PANGB, Ore.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with ‘C’ device and two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 Chief Warrant Officer Jack Cronise Award, Maintenance Professional of the Year
2015 Airman of the Year, Category III, 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Oregon Air National Guard
2016 Airman of the Year, Category III, 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Oregon Air National Guard
2016 Major General Chester E. McCarty Award - Maintenance
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Chief Master Sergeant Advisory Council President, 142nd Wing, Apr. 2018 – Apr. 2022
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of Oregon – Lifetime member
Sunshine Division, Portland Police Bureau, Portland, Ore., Dec 1998-Present
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class Feb. 25, 1989
Senior Airman Aug. 7, 1990
Staff Sergeant Oct. 15, 1993
Technical Sergeant May 10, 2000
Master Sergeant Sep. 20, 2002
Senior Master Sergeant Aug. 5, 2012
Chief Master Sergeant Nov. 5, 2017
(Current as of June 2023)