Gary R. Pfingston

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gary R. Pfingston was the tenth Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest Non-commissioned officer position in the United States Air Force.

Chief Pfingston was born in Evansville, Indiana on January 2, 1940. In California, he graduated from Torrance High School in 1958 and attended El Camino College from 1958 through 1961. He entered the Air Force in February 1962. Chief Pfingston spent his early years as a B-52 Crew Chief at Castle AFB, California from 1962 to 1968 and then worked on B-52s and KC-135s at Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y. from 1968 to 1972. After serving in Thailand at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Base for a year between 1972 and 1973, he became a military Training Instructor at Lackland AFB in 1973. In 1979 he became Commandant of the Military Training Instructor School. He became a First Sergeant in 1982 and then between 1984 and 1990 he was a Senior Enlisted Advisor at George AFB, California; Bergstrom AFB, Texas; and Pacific Air Forces Headquarters, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

On August 1, 1990 he became CMSAF. Chief Pfingston’s focus during his tenure was tackling the Air Force’s draw-down and budget. After Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) issues arose during increased deployments during Gulf War I, he worked to continue BAS for Airmen living in field conditions and toward increasing Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) amounts. His toughest challenge was Air Force downsizing. With a goal of avoiding involuntary separations during the on-going force draw-down, he worked to get the Voluntary Separation Incentive and Special Separation Bonus programs established. He retired October 25, 1994. He died of cancer June 23, 2007.