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Team Fairchild command chief retires

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sean Campbell
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  While Chief Master Sgt. Christian Pugh, 92nd Air Refueling Wing command chief, was going through Basic Military Training the trainers put all the Airmen in room, gave them a piece of paper and told them to write down skills the new trainees had. Pugh was able to fill up both sides of the paper.

“I went up and asked for another sheet of paper, they asked ‘why?’ and I said ‘I already filled up the sheet you gave me,’” Pugh recollects. Pugh attributes his vast experience to working with his father. “My dad was a barber but he liked building houses and things, he was always doing something.”

After BMT, Pugh was sent direct duty to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri as a plumber. In the past, direct duty was when Airmen skipped tech school, based on the instructor’s belief that the Airman knew enough already about the field. Pugh was one of the last Airmen in his career field to go direct duty.

“I loved it; I always say, ‘it all comes back to the plumber,’” Pugh said. “When I say that, it’s not that it comes back to the plumber, it’s that it comes back to your Air Force Specialty Code. Everything hinges on your job being done correctly and on time no matter what that job is. Without my job, the mission doesn’t get done. Everybody should feel that way because every job is the most important job in the Air Force.”

Pugh believes that every duty station he has had since he was a technical sergeant has made him into the command chief he is today. Pugh promoted chief master sergeant in August 2007 and has since performed in six chief positions throughout the Air Force.

“Usually all the other jobs tied to an AFSC are tied to a specialty, job or project,” Pugh said. “Being the command chief, your job is people, your job is getting the mission done. Being allowed to be a command chief really let me see all of the different specialties across the installation and allowed me to see how each Airman contributes to the mission to make sure it gets done. Personally, being a command chief is probably the best way for me to end my career. To do all those things and see it all come together is a wonderful thing.”

During his time as command chief at Fairchild, Pugh took a hands-on role in leading Airmen. He made trips out to different sections and took the time to talk with individual Airmen and see their perspectives of their work environments and roles in the mission.

“Working with Chief Pugh was the most rewarding part of my career thus far,” said Tech. Sgt. Tanya Nicolay, a prior executive assistant command chief. “His selfless dedication, and drive to ensure fairness and balance in the lives of the Airmen assigned to Team Fairchild, is inspiring.”

Pugh retired on July 27. He will be headed to San Antonio to spend some time with his family.

“I would like to thank everyone; it’s amazing to see the mission get done every single day, from a diverse group of individuals from all around the world,” Pugh said “They’ve come together to form one giant team, Team Fairchild, whether 141st ARW, 336th Training Group or the 92nd ARW, everyone comes together and that is extremely impressive. I’ve never seen as much teamwork anywhere else in my career as here. It’s pretty awesome.”