Chief Master Sergeant Jonathan Rapelje is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. He advises the commander on all matters relating to readiness, training, professional development, force utilization, operations tempo, health, morale, welfare and leadership of the 1,800 enlisted members of the wing. Chief Rapelje performs as the functional manager to the first sergeants within the wing and serves as the commander’s representative on councils, boards, and selected events within the military and civilian communities.
Chief Rapelje entered the United States Marine Corps in June 2001, through Marine Corps Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. He transitioned into the Air Force Reserve in 2005. Chief Rapelje has deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and has held Senior Enlisted Leader positions at multiple squadron and group levels for both Reserve and active duty components. Additionally, while on staff at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, he established the Stress Inoculation Program and operationalized the Chief Air Force Reserve’s strategic priorities centered on leadership development and resilience for over 80 Air Force Specialty Codes and 70,000 personnel across 37 wings.
Prior to his current position, Chief Rapelje was the IMA to the Chief, Professional Development Center and the Stress Inoculation Program Manager, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.
EDUCATION
2001 Marine Corps Recruit Training, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif.
2001 Marine Combat Training, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
2002 Louis F. Garland Fire Academy, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2006 Airman Leadership School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. by correspondence
2008 Bachelor’s in General Studies, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, La.
2009 Associate Applied Science Fire Science Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2009 Rescue Technician I Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2011 Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala by correspondence
2013 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala by correspondence
2014 Fire Officer IV Course, Alabama Fire College Tuscaloosa, Ala.
2015 Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Development Course, Barksdale AFB, La.
2015 Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Nuclear Weapons Orientation Course, Barksdale AFB, La.
2015 Nuclear Weapons Incident Response Training Course, Barksdale AFB, La.
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va., by correspondence
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. by correspondence
2017 Air Force Institute of Technology Civil Engineer Superintendent Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2017 Introduction to Radiological and Nuclear Incident Response, Barksdale AFB, La.
2018 Air Force Reserve Command Chief Master Sergeant Orientation Course, Robins AFB, Ga.
2021 Air Force Reserve Command Group Senior Enlisted Leader Course, Robins AFB, Ga.
2022 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001-Aug 2001, Recruit, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif.
2. Aug 2001-Oct 2001, Student, Marine Combat Training, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
3. Oct 2001-Feb 2002, Student, Louis F. Garland Fire Academy, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
4. Feb 2002-June 2003, Firefighter, Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan
5. June 2003-Jan 2004, Driver/Operator, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, MCAS Camp Pendleton, Calif.
6. Jan 2004-Sept 2004, Crew Chief, Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, MCAS 29 Palms, Calif.
7. Sept 2004-June 2005, Crew Chief, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, MCAS Camp Pendleton, Calif.
8. Sept 2005-Jan 2011, Firefighter, 917th Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
(May 2008-Sept 2008, Driver/Operator, 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq)
9. Jan 2011-Jan 2015, Deputy Fire Chief, 307th Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
10. Jan 2015-Sept 2016, Deputy Fire Chief, 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
11. Sept 2016-Oct 2018, Fire Chief, 307th Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
12. July 2018-March 2019, Superintendent, 307th Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
13. Oct 2018-April 2019, Superintendent, 2nd Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, La.
14. April 2019-Sept 2019, Fire Chief, 307th Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
15. Sept 2019-Feb 2020, Superintendent, 307th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
16. Feb 2020-June 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 908th Mission Support Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
17. June 2022-June 2023, IMA to the Chief, Professional Development Center, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. June 2023-Present, Command Chief, 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant June 1, 2018
(Current as of June 2023)