Senior Master Sergeant KEITH WILKINSON

Senior Master Sgt. Keith Wilkinson is the senior enlisted leader for the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. He oversees the scheduling and performance of 320 ceremonial guardsmen. He manages more than 3,000 missions per year including Air Force funerals and joint service ceremonies honoring the president, foreign heads of state and senior Department of Defense leaders. Additionally, he performs ceremonial guardsman duties for events including presidential and joint service ceremonies, Air Force arrivals, military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown and Air Force Memorial.

Senior Master Sgt. Wilkinson entered the Air Force in February 2003. After graduating from the Air Force Honor Guard training course at Bolling Air Force Base in May 2003, he served eight years as a ceremonial guardsman. In November 2010, Senior Master Sgt. Wilkinson retrained into intelligence operations and graduated from the All-Source Intelligence Apprentice course at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, in April 2011.

Throughout his career, Senior Master Sgt. Wilkinson’s roles have included First Term Airmen Center team leader; dorm manager; additional duty first sergeant; partner nation engagements officer; force protection/intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance chief; and directorate senior enlisted leader. He has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support, as well as International Security Assistance Force and NATO operations.

EDUCATION

2003 U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Technical School, Bolling Air Force Base, D.C.
2007 Airman Leadership School, Bolling AFB, D.C.
2011 Intelligence Operations Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2012 F-15E Formal Training Unit Course, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2013 Brave Defender, Base Security Operations Course, Eglin AFB, Fla.
2014 Air Force Force Protection Intelligence Formal Training Unit Course, Fort Dix, N.J.
2016 Contingency Wartime Planning Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Air Force Forces Intermediate Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2017 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, McGhee-Tyson Army National Guard Base, Tenn.
2017 Security Cooperation Management Policy, Programs, and Planning Course, Shaw AFB, S.C.
2017 Information Environment Advanced Analysis Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2017 Air Force SNCO Academy, by correspondence
2019 Joint Professional Military Education I, Shaw AFB, S.C., by correspondence
2019 Associate of Applied Science, Intelligence Studies and Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Joint Professional Military Education II, Shaw AFB, S.C., by correspondence
2021 Acquisition Intelligence Formal Training Unit Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2022 Leading Inclusively Facilitator Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Introduction to Electronic Warfare, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
2023 Introduction to Special Operations Forces, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla., by correspondence
2023 Joint Special Operations Joint Task Force Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla., by correspondence
2023 Special Operations Intelligence Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla., by correspondence
2024 Acquisitions Intelligence Analyst Certification
2024 Airmanship 800, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Gunter Annex, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. February 2003–April 2003, Trainee, 323rd Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. April 2003–May 2003, Student, U.S. Air Force Honor Guardsman, Bolling AFB, D.C.
3. May 2003–November 2010, Ceremonial Guardsman, Bolling AFB, D.C.
4. November 2010–June 2011, Student, 315th Intel Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
5. June 2011–July 2015, Intel Operations and Training Noncomissioned Officer in Charge, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. (May 2013–November 2013, Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance/Force Protection Noncomissioned Officer in Charge, Kandahar Headquarters, Afghanistan)(May 2014–June 2015, Noncomissioned Officer in Charge, Indications & Warnings, Joint/Combined Watch, Yong San Army Garrison, Korea)
6. July 2015–February 2021, Manager, ISR Engagements Branch, Air Forces Central A2, Shaw AFB, S.C. (January 2018–August 2018, Afghanistan ISR Operations Desk Officer, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)(August 2020–December 2020, Senior Intel Analyst/Partner Nation Engagements Lead, Central Command, Saudi Arabia)
7. February 2021–October 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, Intel and Data Analyses Directorate, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Headquarters A2/9, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. October 2024–Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
NATO Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

2005 Leadership Award, Airman Leadership School
2010 U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Praetorian Award
2011 4th Fighter Wing Top 3 Leadership Award
2015 Air Noncommissioned Officer of the 4th Quarter
2016 Air Forces Central B.I.G. Award
2017 Air Force Sergeants Association Volunteer of the Year Award, Shaw Air Force Base
2019 Air Force Sergeants Association Member of the Year Award, Shaw Air Force Base
2021 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters
2021 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Direct Reporting Unit Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
2022 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters
2022 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Direct Reporting Unit Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
2022 Team of the Year, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Test Support
2023 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Direct Reporting Unit Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
2023 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Headquarters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Airman Basic Feb. 4, 2003
Airman First Class March 2, 2003
Senior Airman July 28, 2005
Staff Sergeant Nov. 1, 2008
Technical Sergeant Dec. 1, 2014
Master Sergeant Oct. 1, 2019
Senior Master Sergeant Oct. 1, 2024

(Current as of August 2024)