Bradley takes over as 188th command chief

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman John Hillier
  • 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  The 188th Fighter Wing welcomed a new command chief master sergeant during a historic change of authority ceremony.

Chief Master Sgt Stephen R. Bradley accepted authority from Chief Master Sgt. Asa Carter in front of an audience of family, friends and 188th personnel March 3 at the 188th.

"Chief Bradley takes on this job in challenging times," said Col. Mark W. Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "After 60 years, we are exiting a manned flying mission and into by far the largest and most radical conversion in the history of the wing. Now, more than ever, we need a leader who has excelled in times of change. Chief Bradley is that leader."

Bradley expressed his excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to serve his fellow Airmen in the 188th's top enlisted position.

"In the days ahead, we have so many opportunities," Bradley said. "Yes, we're facing hard times and we're facing challenges, but in every challenge is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to excel or an opportunity to fail. I've been here since 1994 and I've never seen anyone in this unit fail."

Carter lauded the effort of his successor during his speech.

"It's important that our Airmen understand who our new command chief is," Carter said. "Chief Bradley and I have worked closely together and I have total confidence in his leadership ability. I trust that he's going to serve our Airmen, putting service before self. I look forward to working with him in the future."

Bradley joined the Air Force in 1982 as a dental technician. After serving four years on active duty, he joined the Air Force Reserve and was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base. In 1994, Bradley joined the 188th Fighter Wing as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 188th Medical Group's dental clinic. He was selected as the Medical Group's first sergeant in 2003, and also served as the 188th's human resources advisor (HRA). Most recently, Bradley served as the State HRA for the Arkansas Air National Guard.

In his remarks, Carter, who has spent his entire military career in the 188th Fighter Wing, looked back on his more than 30 years of service and challenged the audience to be leaders for the next generation of Airmen in the wing.

"All of us are examples," Carter said. "Whether you're a good example or a bad example is up to you. But we're all going to be an example to someone. Take time to mentor our Airmen. Contribute to someone else's success. We need great leaders as we go through the difficult times ahead."
Carter has served as the wing command chief for the past six years. Carter moves on to become the state command chief master sergeant for the Arkansas Air National Guard.