Ohio National Guard News

By 1st Lt. Nicole Ashcroft
Ohio Adj. Gen. Dept. Public Affairs

COLUMBUS—Making history is not something new for one Ohio Air National Guardmember. Chief Master Sgt. Tamara R. Phillips has made history in the past and now once again by becoming the first female and first African-American state command chief for the Ohio Air National Guard—the organization’s top enlisted position. She made history in 2005 when she became the first female chief for the Springfield-based 178th Fighter Wing.

When Phillips began her military career 22 years ago, she knew she would be setting high goals for herself. She achieved chief master sergeant, a goal she had set for years, but said she never imagined becoming the state command chief and attributes her success to positive thinking.

“I feel blessed that I was able to achieve my goal…to be command chief is icing on the cake.”

In her new role as the state command chief, she serves as a mentor and guide for the 5,000 Airmen in the Ohio Air National Guard.

She said she believes her personnel background will be extremely beneficial because she knows what it takes to manage an Air Force career from beginning to end; something she feels will help her when assisting Airmen throughout Ohio. When she steps into her new role, she has 12 priorities and goals that she plans to achieve, including diversity development, building leaders and encouraging members to participate in programs.

Phillips’ personnel experience began with a four-year active duty tour as an Alaska National Guardmember with the 168th Air Refueling Group in Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. When she learned of a flight headed to Ohio, she and her husband packed for a visit and laid the foundation to move back home near Family. During the trip, both she and her husband found new positions in Ohio—she as a full-time reservist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. After serving in the Air Force Reserve for a year, she made the switch to the Ohio Air National Guard when she joined the 178th Fighter Wing.

Phillips served in a number of roles at the 178th including command support staff, information manager, first sergeant, commander’s administrative assistant and most recently, force support squadron superintendent. Phillips said she has seen a major transformation in the force throughout her career.

“The biggest change is the increased professionalism,” she said. “We are not like the active duty; we have enlisted people joining with degrees and professions outside of the Guard. It is a very professional organization.”

Although she has faced many challenges and hurdles, she said the lesson she has found most valuable is that the challenges and hurdles do not define you; but rather how you react to them. She said Airmen should align themselves with mentors because those mentors will have a huge impact throughout an Airman’s career. Without the support of her mentors, their guidance and leadership, she wouldn’t be where she is today. In addition to mentors, she said Family support is vital.

“Families are absolutely vital. I couldn’t have done it without their support,” Phillips said.

Phillips said the biggest piece of advice she would like to share with Airmen are the six key questions she’s used throughout her career and encouraged struggling Airmen to use in theirs. She said instead of playing the “blame game,” Airmen should ask themselves six questions when they are faced with problems in their military careers:

Do I come to work on time?
Do I wear my uniform right?
Do I treat my customers right?
Do I treat my co-workers right?
Do I know my job?
Am I being the best that I can be?

“If you start with these six questions, be positive and be a good Wingman, your career will go great,” Phillips said.

- 30 -