Chief Master Sgt. Martha Burkhead is the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Space Base Delta 1, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. She leads the enlisted force and is the principal advisor to the SBD 1 Commander on all matters impacting the combat readiness, welfare, morale, proper utilization and progress of assigned personnel. SBD 1 encompasses a 3,700-member team providing Base Operating Support to more than 18,400 military, Department of Defense civilians and contractor personnel serving at 23 operating locations worldwide. These personnel execute critical U.S. Space Force missions including offensive and defensive space operations; missile warning; space domain awareness; space control; position, navigation, and timing; satellite communications; electronic warfare; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and cyberspace missions.
Chief Master Sgt. Burkhead enlisted into the Army in August 1998 as a culinary specialist. During her Army career, she served as a cook and rations noncommissioned officer until she separated from the Army in August 2002. In January 2004, she enlisted into the Air Force as a computer systems programmer. During her Air Force career, she gained experience as a global command and control system administrator, network operations watch officer, hardware maintenance NCO in charge, section chief of software development, plans and programs flight superintendent, and First Sergeant. In December 2020, she transferred into the U.S. Space Force. Prior to assuming her current position, she served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of Space Delta 2 -- Space Domain Awareness and Space Battle Management.
EDUCATION
1998 Army Basic Training, Fort Jackson, S.C.
1998 Army Culinary Specialist Advanced Individual Training, Fort Lee, Va.
2001 Primary Leadership Development Course, Camp Jackson, South Korea
2004 Computer Information and Systems Programming Specialist Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2005 Airman Leadership School, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
2007 Computer Systems Programming School, 7 level, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2010 Associate Degree in Computer Science Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, by correspondence
2013 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
2013 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Professional Manager Certification, Air University, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Cyberspace Operations Fundamentals 100 Course, Scott AFB, Ill., by correspondence
2015 Bachelor of Science Degree, Computer Information Science, University of Maryland University College
2016 First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.
2017 Cyberspace Superintendent Course, by correspondence
2019 Associate Degree in Human Resources, Community College of the Air Force
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1999 – January 2001, 80th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Lewis, Wash.
2. February 2001 – August 2002, 702D Main Support Battalion, Camp Casey, South Korea
3. May 2004 – December 2009, 32nd Intelligence Squadron, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
4. January 2010 – May 2013, Pacific Regional Service Center, Defense Intelligence Agency, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
5. June 2013 – May 2016, 743rd Intelligence Support Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
6. June 2016 – August 2017, First Sergeant, 35th Intelligence Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
7. August 2017 – June 2019, First Sergeant, 43rd Air Mobility Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
8. June 2019 – July 2021, First Sergeant, 311th Training Squadron, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
9. July 2021 – April 2022, Squadron Superintendent, 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Peterson SFB, Colo.
11. April 2022 – August 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, Space Delta 2, Peterson SFB, Colo.
12. August 2024 – Present, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Space Base Delta 1, Peterson SFB, Colo.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1998 Culinary Specialist Advanced Individual Training Honor Graduate
2011 Defense Intelligence Agency, Outstanding Computer Systems Programming NCO of the Year
2012 Pacific Regional Service Center, Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award
2012 Pacific Regional Service Center, Gen. John P. Jumper Excellence in Warfighting Integration Award
2013 Distinguished Graduate, NCO Academy
2014 International Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Person of the Year
2015 743rd ISS Outstanding Cyberspace Support Senior NCO of the Year
2015 25th Air Force/A6 Senior NCO of the Year
2016 25th AF HQ Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award
2016 659th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group First Sergeant of the Year
2017 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group First Sergeant of the Year
2018 43rd AMOG GEICO Military Service Award
2019 43rd AMOG National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award
2019 43rd AMOG Federally Employed Women Award
2019 517th Training Group Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught Visionary Leadership Award
2019 17th Training Wing First Sergeant of the Year
2020 Air Education and Training Command Goldfein-Wright Inclusive Leadership Award
2020 Air Force Diversity and Inclusion Innovation Team Award
2020 17th TRW First Sergeant of the Year
2021 Air Force Federally Employed Women’s Award
2021 Space Operations Command Goldfein-Wright Inclusive Leadership Award
2021 SpOC Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught Visionary Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Private Basic Aug. 26, 1998
Private Feb. 26, 1999
Private First Class Sept. 1, 1999
Specialist Sept. 1, 2000
Sergeant Feb. 1, 2002
Senior Airman Jan. 15, 2004
Staff Sergeant May 1, 2005
Technical Sergeant June 1, 2010
Master Sergeant July 1, 2013
Senior Master Sergeant Nov. 1, 2017
Chief Master Sergeant Feb. 1, 2022
(Current as of September 2024)