Chief Master Sgt. Micheal W. Price is the command chief master sergeant for the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Illinois. He is responsible for advising the wing commander and other senior leadership on vital matters impacting the wing’s enlisted force in regard to mission effectiveness, professional development, military readiness, training, utilization, health, morale and welfare.
Chief Master Sgt. Price began his military career in 1997 with the U.S. Army, where he served four years on active duty and two years in the National Guard. He transferred into the Air National Guard in 2003 and was selected for a full-time Active Guard Reserve position in 2005. Chief Master Sgt. Price has served in many capacities throughout his career, including advisor/trainer for the Illinois National Guard Response Force/Quick Reaction Force, wing antiterrorism officer, resource, logistics and deployment manager, plans and programs superintendent, operations superintendent and security forces manager.
He has participated in broad missions, including Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve, detainee movement operations, Task Force Able Sentry and the National Guard State Partnership Program cooperative with Poland. He has deployed multiple times to provide support as a U.S. Army engineer and as a force protection asset, including to Macedonia, Kosovo, Iraq, and the 407th Air Expeditionary Group, Southwest Asia. Prior to his current position, the chief master sergeant was the security forces manager, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria, Illinois.
EDUCATION
1997 U.S. Army Basic Military Training, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
1997 U.S. Army Advanced Individual Training, Carpentry and Masonry, Gulfport, Miss.
2001 U.S. Army Advanced Individual Training, Field Artillery, Camp Atterbury, Ind.
2003 Primary Leadership Development Course, Camp Ashland, Neb.
2003 Security Forces Academy, Air Education and Training Command, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2004 Phoenix Raven Qualification Course, Air Mobility Command, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
2007 U.S. Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 U.S. Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Associate of Applied Science, Criminal Justice, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Antiterrorism Officer Course, Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2019 U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Bachelor of Arts, Social and Criminal Justice, University of Arizona Global Campus, San Diego, Calif.
2021 Security Forces Manager Orientation Course, Randolph AFB, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1997–November 1998, Carpentry and Masonry Specialist, 515th Engineer Company, Fort Lee, Va.
2. November 1998–July 2001, Carpentry and Masonry Specialist, 94th Engineer Battalion, Alpha Company, Hohenfels, Germany (January 1999–August 2000, Carpentry and Masonry Specialist/Force Protection Element, Skopje, Macedonia and Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo)
3. July 2001–March 2003, Field Artilleryman, Charlie Battery, 2-123rd Field Artillery, Galesburg, Ill.
4. March 2003–September 2007, Security Forces Specialist, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, Peoria, Ill. (June 2006–March 2007, Compound Shift Leader, 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Camp Bucca, Iraq)
5. September 2007–February 2012, S-4 Logistics Superintendent, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, Peoria, Ill.
6. February 2012–October 2015, S-5 Plans and Programs Superintendent, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, Peoria, Ill. (February 2014–August 2014, S-5 Plans and Programs Superintendent, 405th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, 405th Air Expeditionary Group, Southwest Asia)
7. October 2015–March 2016, S-3 Operations Superintendent, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, Peoria, Ill.
8. March 2016–July 2022, Security Forces Manager, 182nd Security Forces Squadron, Peoria, Ill. (June 2021–December 2021, Security Forces Manager, 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, 407th Air Expeditionary Group, Southwest Asia)
9. July 2022–Present, Command Chief Master Sergeant, 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria, Ill.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
STATE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Illinois Abraham Lincoln Medal of Freedom with “2” device
Illinois Military Long and Honorable Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Illinois Military Attendance Ribbon with “7” device
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 Interservice Non-lethal Individual Weapons Instructor certification
2014 Outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, Illinois Air National Guard
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
American Legion Post 979
Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (lifetime member)
National Guard Association of Illinois (lifetime member)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Staff Sergeant March 19, 2003
Technical Sergeant Dec. 3, 2005
Master Sergeant May 5, 2008
Senior Master Sergeant Jan 25, 2018
Chief Master Sergeant March 10, 2020
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2022)