ARLINGTON, Va. – Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, named Chief Master Sgt. Tony L. Whitehead as the next senior enlisted advisor for the NGB Aug. 3.
Whitehead will be Hokanson’s principal military advisor on all National Guard enlisted matters affecting training, utilization, health of the force and enlisted professional development.
“Chief Master Sgt. Whitehead brings with him tremendous leadership experience earned during a remarkable career in the Air Force and Air National Guard,” said Hokanson.
The outgoing senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Kepner, is retiring.
Before his current role, Whitehead served as the command chief master sergeant of Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and command chief of 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where he advised the CONR-1AF commander on matters influencing the health, morale and welfare of assigned enlisted personnel and their families.
Whitehead entered the Air Force in December 1982 as a security specialist. He served 10 years in the active component and joined the Florida Air National Guard in April 1994.
His background includes positions and assignments in the security specialist and security forces career fields, where he served as security response team member, flight chief and security forces squadron training manager.
The chief deployed as part of Operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. During these deployments, Whitehead performed duties as first sergeant and security forces manager.
In September 2001, Whitehead assumed duties as the first sergeant of the 125th Fighter Wing before becoming the operations superintendent of the 125th Security Forces Squadron in September 2003.
Whitehead was selected as the Air National Guard security forces career field manager in April 2010, while also serving as the superintendent to the director of installations and mission support for the Air National Guard.
He then took on the role of command chief master sergeant of the Air Guard Readiness Center before serving as the command chief of the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing. In October 2018, he was named the command chief of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard before moving on to become the command chief of CONR-1AF.
“His energy and experience will be invaluable in taking care of our outstanding National Guard Soldiers and Airmen as they meet today's unprecedented challenges at home and abroad,” said Hokanson.