Chief Master Sergeant Edward C. Fitzgerald is the Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, and dual-hatted as the Chief of Force Development, Operations Directorate, AFCEC. As the SEL, he is the principal enlisted advisor to the Commander on personnel management, CE matters, training issues, resource allocation & implementation of the CE Strategy. Chief Fitzgerald delivers care and support to the 2,200 personnel who provide responsive, flexible full-spectrum installation engineering services and execute $11.8 billion in contracts supporting 78 locations worldwide. Furthermore, he interfaces with Command Teams across 100 Air Force and United States Space Force installations regarding the $33 billion enterprise-wide military family, unaccompanied and privatized housing portfolio spanning 68,000 housing units.
As the Force Development Division Chief, he leads and manages the force development for 11 CE career fields. Chief Fitzgerald provides strategic direction and oversight of initial skills training, education, advanced technical training, and career field functional issues for 25,000 Total Force CE enlisted and Federal Wage Grade personnel. Additionally, he advises and coordinates with Air Staff, major command Functional Managers, and base-level officials on enlisted training and utilization issues. Chief Fitzgerald develops and executes an operational budget of $9 million to sustain Specialty Training Requirements Teams, Utilization and Training Workshops, Vendor Training Programs, Training Support contracts and Headquarters Air Force A4C directed manpower studies. Lastly, he is a member of the CE Enterprise Chiefs Council.
Chief Fitzgerald grew up in Baker, Calif., and entered the Air Force in June 1995. He completed Utilities Systems Apprentice training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. His assignments include serving in various civil engineer and technical training duties at stations in California, Wyoming, Republic of Korea, Alaska, Texas, Italy, Japan, and Florida. Chief Fitzgerald completed deployments in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, PROVIDE HOPE, ODYSSEY DAWN, and UNIFIED PROTECTOR. Before assuming his current position, he was the 366th Training Squadron Superintendent at Sheppard AFB, Texas.
EDUCATION
1999 Airman Leadership School, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
2003 A.A.S. degree in Ecological Controls, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Level 2 Water & Wastewater Treatment Certifications
2006 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
2007 A.A.S. degree in Instructor Technology in Military Science, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education & Management, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas
2007 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2008 Master & Community College of the Air Force Occupationally Certified Instructor, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter AFB, Ala.
2011 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Arts in Management/Organization Management, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview Texas
2015 Operations Flight Commander’s Course, Air Force Institute of Technology Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1995 – July 1997, Utilities Systems Apprentice 60th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
2. July 1997 – January 2001, Utilities Systems Journeyman 90th CES, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
3. January 2001 – January 2002, Utilities Systems Craftsman 51st CES, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
4. January 2002 – January 2006, NCOIC, Wastewater Treatment Plant, 354th CES, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. February 2006 – August 2010, Utilities Systems Instructor, culminating as Squadron Superintendent, 366th Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
6. September 2010 – September 2014, Infrastructure Superintendent, culminating as Operations Superintendent, 31st CES, Aviano AB, Italy
7. October 2014 – April 2016, Flight Chief, Operations Flight, 18th CES, Kadena AB, Japan
8. April 2016 – October 2016, Squadron Superintendent, 18th CES, Kadena AB, Japan
9. October 2016 – October 2018, Superintendent, 18th Civil Engineer Group, Kadena AB, Japan
10. October 2018 – July 2020, Squadron Superintendent, 366th Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
11. July 2020 – May 2023, Chief, Force Development, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Det 1, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
12. May 2023 – present, Air Force Civil Engineer Center Senior Enlisted Leader & Chief of Force Development, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1997 Senior Airman Below the Zone, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron
2007 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, 782d Training Group
2008 Air Education Training Command Technical Training Senior Noncommissioned Officer Instructor of the Year
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of The Year, 31st Fighter Wing
(Current as of May 2023)