Chief Master Sergeant Raun M. Howell is the Command Chief Master Sergeant for Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL. Air University is the intellectual and leadership-development center for the Air Force and Space Force, providing a full-spectrum of courses that graduate more than 50,000 resident and 120,000 non-resident officers, enlisted and civilian personnel each year to achieve national security objectives. He serves as the adviser to the Air University Commander on all matters affecting the quality, welfare, morale, readiness and leadership of service members assigned to more than 1,300 locations around the world.
CMSgt Howell is a native of Gainesville, Florida, and entered the Air Force in July of 1997. He has held a variety of positions as a personnelist, and has also served as a technical training instructor, Professional Military Education Instructor, and in various Senior Enlisted Leader positions throughout his tenure in the Air Force. He has also served as the Special Advisor and Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, FL.
EDUCATION
2001 Airman Leadership School, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2004 Associate Degree, Human Resource Management, Community College of the Air Force, Alabama
2007 Air Force Noncommissioned Air Force Academy, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
2007 Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2010 Associate Degree, Instructor in Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Alabama
2010 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Phase 1 (by correspondence), Joint Forces Staff College, Virginia
2013 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force, Alabama
2014 Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2015 Bachelor Degree with Honors, Business Management, American Military University, West Virginia
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II (by correspondence), Joint Forces Staff College, Virginia
2018 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2018 Air Force Leading Strategically Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, CO
2019 Masters Degree with Honors, Organizational Performance, University of Bellevue, Nebraska
2019 Command Chief Training Course, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
2020 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2021 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, North Carolina
2022 Department of Air Force Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1997 – April 2000, Customer Service Technician, 4 MSS, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
2. April 2000 – November 2003, Reenlistment Program Manager, AFPC, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. November 2003 – October 2007, Personnel Instructor, 335 TRS, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
4. October 2007 – November 2009, PME Instructor, Mathies NCO Academy, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
5. November 2009 – December 2011, Superintendent, Training & Curriculum, Mathies NCOA, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
6. January 2012 – January 2014, Superintendent, Career Development, 55 FSS, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
7. January 2014 – September 2014, Superintendent, Military Personnel Section, 19 FSS, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
9. September 2014 – May 2015, Superintendent, Manpower & Personnel Flight, 19 FSS, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
10. May 2015 – June 2017, Superintendent, Force Support Squadron (interim), 19 FSS, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
11. June 2017 – June 2018, 3F0 MFM & Chief, Military Personnel Programs Branch, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
12. June 2018 – July 2020, AETC/A1 Chief Enlisted Manager, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
13. July 2020 – Jan 2022, Senior Executive Assistant to the CMSAF, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. Jan 2022 – June 2023, Command Chief, 437th Airlift Wing, JB Charleston, South Carolina
15. June 2023 – June 2025, Command Chief, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
16. June 2025 - present, Command Chief, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Achievement Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Humanitarian Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 John L. Levitow Award Recipient, Airman Leadership School
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2007 Commandant’s Award Recipient, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2010 SNCO of the Year, Keesler NCO Academy
2014 Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2015 SNCO of the Year, 19th Airlift Wing
2015 A1 FSS SNCO of the Year, Headquarters Air Force
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant – November 1, 2017
(Current as of July 2025)