Chief Master Sergeant Tabatha A. Sanders serves as the Senior Enlisted Leader, 55th Operations Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. She advises the Group Commander on all issues regarding the readiness, morale, welfare, and proper utilization of the enlisted force. Additionally, she provides leadership and guidance to 11 squadrons and three detachment commanders responsible for more than 3,000 military, civilian, and contracted personnel. Chief Sanders assists the commander in executing global airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions directed by the President, Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and national intelligence agencies. The group’s units operate five separate mission design series aircraft in five global areas of operations.
Chief Sanders entered the Air Force in January 2001. She graduated the Intelligence Applications Apprentice course at Goodfellow AFB, Texas in July 2001. Her background includes tactical intelligence support to fighters and base defense missions, as well as strategic intelligence support at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Major Command, and Joint Combatant Command levels. Her assignments include Florida, Ohio, Washington D.C., and Virginia; and her overseas assignments include the Republic of Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. She has deployed to Southwest Asia four times in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Prior to her current position, the Chief was the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 45th Intelligence Squadron at Joint Base Langley- Eustis, Virginia.
EDUCATION
2004 Airman Leadership School, MacDill AFB, Florida.
2004 Associates Degree, Communications Applications Technology, Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
2011 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyson-McGhee Air National Guard Base, Tennessee.
2013 Bachelor of Science in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Wash., D.C.
2015 Senior Noncommissioned Office Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama.
2017 Professional Manager Certification, CCAF
2017 Senior Enlisted Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Manager Skills Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I, by correspondence
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by correspondence
2020 Air Combat Command Superintendent’s Course, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
2021 Air Combat Command Chief’s Orientation Course, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
2022 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Alabama.
2022 Department of the Air Force, Coaching Culture Facilitator Course, by correspondence
2023 Department of the Air Force, Conflict Coaching Matters, by correspondence
2023 Group Command Team Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2001 – February 2001, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. February 2001 – July 2001, Student, Intelligence Applications Apprentice Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
3. August 2001 – October 2004, Iraq Political/Military Analyst, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, Florida. (November
2003 – May 2004, Iraq Political/Military Analyst, Central Command Forward Headquarters, Camp As-Saliyah, Qatar)
4. November 2004 – December 2005, Intelligence Assessments, 51st Operations Support Squadron, Osan Air Base (AB),
Republic of Korea
5. February 2006 – February 2008, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Squadron Intelligence, 22d Fighter
Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (September 2007 – January 2008, NCOIC, Squadron Intelligence, 22d
Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Balad, Iraq)
6. March 2008 – July 2012, NCOIC, Production and Collection Management, National Air and Space Intelligence Center,
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (October 2009 – May 2010, NCOIC, Joint Intelligence Support Element, Joint Base Balad, Iraq;
July 2011 – February 2012, Superintendent, 380th Operations Support Squadron, Southwest Asia)
7. July 2012 – July 2013, Student, National Intelligence University, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Wash., D.C.
8. August 2013 – November 2014, Flight Chief, Analysis and Reporting, 15th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley-
Eustis, Virginia.
9. November 2014 – October 2016, Division Superintendent, Air Combat Command Directorate of Intelligence, Joint Base
Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
10. October 2016 – August 2017, Superintendent, 15th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
11. August 2017 – August 2020, Superintendent, Analysis and Production, Africa Command Directorate of Intelligence, Royal
Air Force Molesworth, United Kingdom
12. August 2020 – July 2021, Command Lead Intelligence Inspector, Office of the Inspector General, Air Combat Command,
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
13. July 2021 – June 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, 45th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
14. July 2023 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 John L. Levitow Award, Airman Leadership School, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2011 Distinguished Graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyson-McGhee Air National Guard Base, Tenn.
2015 Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Office Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.