Chief Master Sergeant PAUL A. BUTTS

Chief Master Sgt. Paul Butts is the 18th commandant of the Chief Master Sergeant Paul H. Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Education Center at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. He is responsible for the daily operations and public perception of the Air Force’s largest EPME center. Chief Butts develops, plans, and evaluates program effectiveness while identifying and implementing future direction and growth, ensuring the faculty and staff perform by the directives of the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, as well as USAF and ANG instructions and guidelines. Chief Butts also serves as the senior enlisted leader for the Commander, I.G.
Brown Training and Education Center. He briefs Air Force and Air Reserve Component senior leaders on the status and potential of their EPME programs. He also serves as a liaison to the ANG Command Chief on EPME programs, status, and future possibilities.

Chief Butts entered the Air Force in June 1990 as a Material Storage and Distribution Apprentice and gained expertise in all facets of warehouse operations, progressing to his assignment as the Stock Fund Manager. In 2006 he cross-trained into the Financial Management career field as the Wing Budget Analyst. His continued professional development and personal drive culminated in his selection as the ANG FM Career Field Manager and Senior Enlisted Leader. His duty history includes Regular Air Force, Traditional Air National Guard, Dual-Status Military Technician, and Active Guard Reserve in a wide variety of roles. His assignments include bases in Turkey, California, Illinois, Tennessee, and Washington D.C. at the Squadron, Wing, Detachment, Headquarters Air Force and National Guard Bureau Joint Staff levels, with past duty titles including Non-commissioned Officer in Charge and Superintendent. Chief Butts has held assignments in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, and Provide Comfort, and has deployed in support of Operations Joint Guardian, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, and Resolute Support.

Prior to assuming his current position, Chief Butts served on National Guard Bureau Joint Staff as Program Manager and Senior
Enlisted Leader in the Joint Staff Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.

EDUCATION
1995 Non-commissioned Officer Preparatory Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2000 Non-commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, National Defense University
2011 Enhanced Defense Financial Management Course, American Society of Military Comptrollers, Washington D.C.
2012 Senior Non-commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 The Ultimate First Sergeant Experience, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2012 Associate of Applied Science degree, Logistics Management, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Associate of Applied Science degree, Financial Management, CCAF, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Civilian Personnel Management Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Instructor Certification Program, I.G. Brown Training & Education Center, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
2014 Bachelor of Arts degree, Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln, Ill.
2015 Financial Management Staff Officer Course, Keesler, AFB, Miss.
2015 Defense Decision Support Course, Defense Financial Management & Comptroller School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Air National Guard Chief’s Executive Course, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, Md.
2016 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2016 Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
2017 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Alexandria, Va.
2017 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Knowledge Online
2018 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Transnational Issues Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Alexandria, Va.
2019 Africa Update Regional Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Alexandria, Va.
2020 Eurasia Update Regional Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Alexandria, Va.
2021 Violence Prevention Training, Department of Defense SPARX Knowledge, Washington D.C.
2022 Comprehensive Health & Wellness Executive Leaders Course, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
2022 Executive Leadership Program in Managing for Inclusion, Georgetown University, Washington D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1990 – August 1990, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. September 1990 – September 1992: 39th Supply Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
3. September 1992 – June 1994: 30th Civil Engineering Squadron, Material Management, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. June 1994 – February 1998: Supply Management Journeyman, 182nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Peoria, Ill.
5. February 1998 – January 2006: Supply Management Craftsman, 183rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Springfield, Ill.
(October – December 2005, Sembach Air Base, Germany, Operation Joint Guardian)
6. January 2006 – August 2009: Budget Analyst, 183rd Comptroller Flight, Springfield, Ill.
(April – July 2009, 17AF/USAFRICOM, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Operation Enduring Freedom)
7. August 2009 – January 2012: Budget Analyst, Air National Guard Readiness Center Financial Management, Joint Base
Andrews, Md.
8. January 2012 – June 2013: Corporate Process Program Integrator, ANGRC Plans & Programs, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
9. June 2013 – August 2014: Superintendent, Campus Operations, I.G. Brown Training & Education Center, McGhee Tyson Air
National Guard Base, Tenn.
10. September 2014 – September 2020: Career Field Manager – ANG FM, ANGRC, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
(July 2016 – January 2017, Senior Enlisted Leader, AFCENT/FM, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Operations Inherent Resolve
and Resolute Support)
11. September 2020 – December 2023: Program Manager, National Guard Bureau Joint Staff, Office of Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, Arlington, Va.
12. December 2023 – Present: Commandant, Paul H. Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Education Center, I.G. Brown
Training and Education Center, McGhee Tyson ANG Base, Tenn.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars
Humanitarian Service Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 Lead Instructor, Air National Guard Budget Course
2011 Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM)
2012 Additional Duty First Sergeant, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2016 DoD Financial Management Certification Level III
2018 Instructor Cadre, Air National Guard Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Senior Airman Jun 26, 1993
Staff Sergeant Sep. 9, 1995
Technical Sergeant Jan 9, 1999
Master Sergeant Dec 29, 2006
Senior Master Sergeant Aug 26, 2013
Chief Master Sergeant Aug. 26, 2015

(Current as of January 24)