CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT MICHAEL A. “MONTANA” MURIEEN Published Sept. 24, 2025 CMSgt Michael A. Murieen is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. As principal advisor to the Commander, he supports the faculty by providing a strategic enlisted perspective to post-graduate senior leader development programs for more than 245 resident students annually across all U.S. military services, federal agencies, and international officers from 50 allied and partner nations. He directly contributes to advanced curriculum focused on joint, multinational, and interagency warfighting to enable air, space, and cyberspace lethality and national security planning. Chief Murieen hails from rural Montana, he entered the Air Force in 1997 as a Civil Engineer and has held numerous senior leadership positions across the Civil Engineer and RED HORSE Enterprise, Nuclear Missile Field, Defense Attaché Service, and Professional Military Education. He served two remote tours in South Korea and on multiple downrange deployments in direct support of combat Operation(s) SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and INHERENT RESOLVE. Chief Murieen was selected for a diplomatic assignment on the African continent with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), where he worked alongside the interagency as the Operations Coordinator of the U.S. Defense Attaché Office, Embassy of the United States of America, Gaborone, Republic of Botswana. Prior to his current role, Chief Murieen served as Senior Enlisted Leader of the 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada. EDUCATION 2004 – Airman Leadership School, Osan AB, South Korea 2010 – Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I (Correspondence) 2012 – USAF Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Kapaun AS, Germany 2013 – USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Correspondence) 2013 – Associate of Applied Science Degree in Mechanical and Electrical Technology, CCAF 2013 – Professional Manager Certification, CCAF 2017 – USAF Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Residence) 2017 – Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II (Correspondence) 2018 – AFIT Civil Engineer Superintendent’s Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 2019 – Joint Military Attaché School, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Bolling AFB, Washington D.C. 2019 – Foreign Affairs Counter-Threat, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV 2020 – Bachelor of Science Degree in Strategic Leadership, Southwestern College, Kansas 2020 – Operational Leadership Certification, Southwestern College, Kansas 2023 – Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB/Gunter-Annex, Alabama 2025 – Project Management Professional (PMP®), Project Management Institute, Newton Square, PA 2026 – (Pursuing) Executive Master of Int’l Policy, The George Washington University, Washington D.C. ASSIGNMENTS 1. Nov 97 - Jan 98, Basic Military Trainee, 321 TRS, Lackland AFB, Texas 2. Jan 98 - Mar 98, Utilities Systems Apprentice, 366 TRS, Sheppard AFB, Texas 3. Apr 98 - Feb 04, Utilities Systems Journeyman, 5 CES, Minot AFB, North Dakota 2000, Force Protector, 363 ECES, Al Kharj AB, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2003, Combat Engineer, 386 ECES, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait 4. Feb 04 – Feb 05, Utilities Systems Craftsman, 8 CES (Red Devils), Kunsan AB, South Korea 5. Feb 05 – Jun 11, Nuclear Missile Alert Facility Manager NCOIC, 490 MS, Malmstrom AFB, Montana 05 - 06, Sergeant of the Guard, 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Sq (101st Airborne Division), FOB Marez, Iraq 6. Jun 11 – Sep 15, Water & Fuel Systems Maint. Section Chief, 52 CES, Spangdahlem AB, Germany 2015, Combat Engineer Superintendent, 405 ECES, Thumrait AB, Oman 7. Oct 15 - Oct 16, Water & Fuel Systems Maint. Section Chief, 8 CES (Red Devils), Kunsan AB, South Korea 8. Oct 16 – Aug 19, Infrastructure Systems Superintendent, 786 CES, Ramstein AB, Germany 9. Aug 19 – Aug 22, Operations Coordinator, U.S. Defense Attaché Office, U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana 10. Sep 22 – Aug 25, Senior Enlisted Leader, 820th RED HORSE Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada 11. Sep 25 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Airman’s Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Army Commendation Medal Department of State – Meritorious Honor Award Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with service star Korean Defense Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border (combat support) and five oak leaf clusters OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1999 – Silver Knight Award, 5 SFS, Minot AFB, North Dakota 2014 – CMSgt Daniels Civil Engineer Leadership Award (Mil Super), 52 FW, Spangdahlem AB, Germany 2015 – SNCO Civil Engineer Workhorse Award, USAFCENT, Thumrait AB, Oman 2017 – Tuskegee Airmen Award, 86th Civil Engineer Group, Ramstein AB, Germany 2018 – Spirit of Hope Award, USAFE-AFAFRICA, Ramstein AB, Germany 2018 – Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award, USAFE-AFAFRICA, Ramstein AB, Germany 2020 – Capt Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, DIA (NAF-level), U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana 2020 – SNCO of the Year/12 OAY, DIA (NAF-level), U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana 2021 – NCOA Vanguard Award (Heroism), AFDW, U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION Chief Master Sergeant - May 1, 2022 (Current as of September 2025)