CMSgt Melanie Grim is the Senior Enlisted Leader, 353d Special Operational Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan. She serves as a principal advisor to the commander on all matters directly affecting the professional development, safety, health, morale, welfare, organization, operational employment, and combat readiness of the Wing. She leads a mission-focused maintenance effort and manages operational resources to develop high-caliber professionals producing safe and reliable on-and off-aircraft maintenance. Under her leadership, the Wing provides combat ready, responsive, specialized airpower and enabler forces to plan and execute general war and contingency operations using MC-130J Commando II and CV-22B Osprey aircraft to infiltrate, exfiltrate, resupply and support U.S. and allied Special Operations Forces as the only Air Force Special Operations unit in the Pacific.
Chief Grim is from San Francisco, California, and entered the Air Force in August 2002. Her career includes various duties as a Dedicated Crew Chief, Executive Assistant to the AETC Command Chief, Inspector General, and Maintenance Superintendent at bases in Japan, North Dakota, Texas, Arizona, South Korea, Florida and California with deployments to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Qatar. Her aircraft experience includes MC-130P/H, C-130H, KC-135R/T, EC-130H, and C-17A.
EDUCATION
2003 Aerospace Maintenance Apprentice School, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2007 Airman Leadership School, Kadena Air Base, Japan
2011 Associates of Applied Science, Aerospace Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2013 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Correspondence Course
2013 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2015 Jet Engine Mishap Investigation Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2016 Continuous Process Improvement Green Belt Course, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Correspondence Course
2016 Airframe & Powerplant Certification, Federal Aviation Administration
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Correspondence Course
2017 Professional Managers Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2017 Bachelors in Business Administration, American Military University
2018 Inspector General Training Couse, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2019 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2019 Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2020 Masters in Business Administration, American Military University
2021 Chiefs Leadership Orientation, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2022 Chiefs Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Ala.
2023 AFPC Commander/Senior Enlisted Leader Course, HQ AFPC, JBSA Randolph, Texas
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2002 – October 2002, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 2002 – April 2003, Student, C-130 Aerospace Maintenance School, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. May 2003 – April 2008, MC-130P/H Crew Chief, 353rd Maintenance Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
4. April 2008 – March 2010, KC-135R/T Isochronal Inspection Craftsman, 319th Maintenance Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
5. April 2010 – October 2011, Aircraft Systems Test Specialist, Test and Evaluation Squadron, HQ AETC A5/8/9, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
6. November 2011 – March 2014, Administrative Assistant to the AETC Command Chief, HQ AETC, JBSA Randolph, Texas
7. March 2014 – September 2014, Executive Assistant to the AETC Command Chief, HQ AETC, JBSA Randolph, Texas
8. October 2014 – May 2015, EC-130H Aerospace Maintenance Craftsman, 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. June 2015 – October 2015, Flightline Expediter, 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (June 2015 – October 2015, Flightline Expediter, 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Ali Al Salem, Kuwait)
10. November 2015 – September 2017, Combat Systems Section Chief, 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (January 2017 – July 2017, Production Superintendent, 455th Air Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
11. October 2017 – October 2018, Wing Inspection Team Manager/Inspection Planner, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
12. October 2018 – May 2019, Accessories Flight Chief, 6th Maintenance Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
13. June 2019 – February 2020, Maintenance Flight Chief, 6th Maintenance Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. February 2020 – May 2021, Lead Production Superintendent, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, MacDill AFB, Fla.
15. May 2021 – June 2022, Maintenance Superintendent, 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron, Al Udeid, Qatar
16. July 2022 – November 2022, Aircraft Maintenance Unit Chief, 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
17. December 2022 – August 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
18. September 2024 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 353d Special Operations Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Senior Airman Below the Zone
2006 Airman of the Year, 353d Maintenance Squadron
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School
2009 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 319th Maintenance Group
2013 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, AETC Command Section
2017 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter, 9th AETF
2017 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
2018 Team of the Year, 8th Fighter Wing
2018 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter, 8th Fighter Wing
2021 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Award, 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic August 27, 2002
Airman First Class October 11, 2002
Senior Airman August 11, 2004
Staff Sergeant January 1, 2007
Technical Sergeant February 1, 2012
Master Sergeant March 1, 2016
Senior Master Sergeant February 1, 2019
Chief Master Sergeant July 1, 2022
(Current as of February 2025)