Jeep Chief: Newest inducted chief at Fairchild carries tradition

Published March 15, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias
92nd ARW Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- If sewing on chief means having a great attitude, Chief Master Sgt. Jon Stuhr already has it down. As the newest chief inductee at Fairchild, he's stuck with the infamous "Jeep Chief" title, but so far, he hasn't complained.

"You know what they say..." he says instead. "Better to be a Jeep Chief than never be a chief at all."

So the new chief, who was inducted at the Chiefs' Induction Ceremony March 8, will spend the rest of this month protecting his Jeep plaque, honoring a long-held tradition for those few Airmen who make it to the top one percent of the enlisted force.

Why such a fuss over a toy Jeep?

"It's a way to recognize and celebrate with the newest chief on the base," said a previous Jeep chief, Chief Master Sgt. Donald Byars, president of the Fairchild Chiefs' Group and Military Personnel Flight superintendent. He explained that the new chief carries the Jeep around "everywhere they go - you can't ever be seen without it. If you are seen without it, another chief or anyone else can challenge you, and you have to provide liquid refreshment at the individual's choosing.

"The word Jeep stands for Just Enough Education to Pass," he said. "When I got out of technical school and went to my first base, we were called Jeeps. It's the same concept for the new chief - enough education to be a chief, but not enough time to have settled into the role."

Chief Stuhr is the first person to admit he's the "new guy on the block." And while he'll be playing the Jeep Chief game for one month ("I've got it the Jeep under lock and key," he joked), he's looking forward to spending the rest of his career realizing a goal he set for himself years ago.

"Now I get to focus on my Airmen, and it brings a lot of satisfaction," said the chief. "You certainly don't become a chief by focusing completely on yourself - that's not the way we promote people in the Air Force - but you do have to be career minded. Now I don't have to worry about that stuff. I can take care of my people's challenges, and give people credit and recognition for their contributions."

Chief Stuhr, who sewed on his new stripes in December, actually moved into his current role as the 66th Training Squadron chief enlisted manager in June 2006. Having filled a chief's position for almost nine months, he already has some experience with the responsibilities and expectations of the chief master sergeant rank.

"I guess the biggest difference is, as soon as you put on the top rocker, everyone expects you to know everything, which isn't necessarily the case," he said. "But you prepare your whole career to be able to at least know who to go to help people, even if you don't know every answer ... One of the great things about being a chief is we can get a lot of things done for our Airmen. We have access to a lot of people and resources."

Since Chief Stuhr pinned on chief after only 20 years in the Air Force (this month marks his 20-year service anniversary), he's looking forward to filling the chief role for a while.
"This isn't it for me; Uncle Sam owns me for another three years minimum," he said. "My wife and kids know that we'll probably transfer at least once or twice more ... As long as I'm having fun when I come to work every day, I'll keep driving to work. And I'm definitely having fun."

The chief's advice to other Airmen aspiring toward that eighth stripe?
"Take advantage of educational opportunities and never, ever run away from a chance to take the initiative and lead something."

And while Chief Stuhr takes the lead as new chief in town, he'd better hang on tight to his miniature Jeep, according to Chief Byars.

"People constantly try to steal that Jeep," he said. "My Jeep was stolen within the first hour, and it was everywhere from the flightline to the top of the tower. It showed up in the wing commander's parking spot, in fire trucks - everywhere."

Lock and key sounds about right.