CMSgt Justin “Appy” Apticar is the Command Chief, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. He works directly with the wing commander in leading the most forward, permanently- based fighter wing in the Air Force. The wing wields combat ready, close air support, counter-air, interdiction, air base defense, and communications in defense of the Republic of Korea. He offers enlisted expertise to four groups and 17 squadron commanders. In addition, he is responsible for installation support, quality of life and utilization of over 5,800 personnel assigned to the wing, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, and other Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps units.
Chief Apticar grew up in Luxembourg, Luxembourg and enlisted in the Air Force in September 1994. He began his career as an Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice. He has extensive back shop and flightline maintenance experience having served in multiple leadership positions at the Group, Squadron, and Flight level. Chief Apticar has been
stationed at locations in Louisiana, Japan, Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina and Florida. He was selected to perform a special duty as a Military Training Instructor and was awarded the Master Military Training Instructor “Blue Rope” in 2006. Before assuming his current position, he served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 53d Wing, Eglin AFB, Florida. He assumed his current leadership position in October 2020.
EDUCATION
1997 Airman Leadership School, Barksdale AFB, LA
2005 Military Training Instructor School, Lackland AFB, TX
2006 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland AFB, TX
2007 Associates of Applied Science, Aircraft Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2008 Associates of Applied Science, Instructor Technology and Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2011 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Noncommissioned Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
2012 Bachelor of Arts in Organization Management, Ashford University, IA
2013 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course
2016 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military II Education Course
2019 Command Chief Candidate Training Course, JB Andrews, MD
2019 Master of Science in Leadership, Trident University, CA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1994 – October 1994, Trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. January 1995 – March 1995, Student, Propulsion Systems Apprentice Course, Sheppard AFB, TX
3. March 1995 – August 2000, Propulsion Technician, 2d Maintenance Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA
4. August 2000 – August 2004, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Aerospace Propulsion, 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan (November 2001 – March 2002, Propulsion Craftsman, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia)
5. August 2004 – December 2007, Military Training Instructor, 331st Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX (March 2007 – October 2007, Air Advisor, Coalition Forces Transition Team, Camp Taji, Iraq)
6. December 2007 – August 2009 Standardization and Evaluation Team Member, 737th Training Group, Lackand AFB, TX
7. August 2009 – January 2011, Section Chief, 354th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
8. January 2011 – September 2011, Production Superintendent, 354th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (March 2011 – September 2011, Lead Production Superintendent, 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, South Korea)
9. September 2011 – April 2012, Lead Production Superintendent, 354th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
10. April 2012 – June 2013, Superintendent, 354th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (September 2012 – April 2013, Superintendent, 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
11. June 2013 – October 2014, Propulsion Flight Chief, 18th Component Maintenance Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
12. October 2014 – May 2015, Maintenance Superintendent, 18th Component Maintenance Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
13. May 2015 – June 2016, Superintendent, Quality Assurance, 18th Maintenance Group, Kadena AB, Japan
14. June 2016 – January 2017, Chief Enlisted Manager, Propulsion Flight, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
15. January 2017 – November 2017, Chief, 335th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and Chief Enlisted Manager, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
16. November 2017 – November 2018, Superintendent, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, FOB Oqab, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. December 2018 – April 2019, Superintendent, 704th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
18. April 2019 – October 2020, Command Chief, 53d Wing, Eglin AFB, FL
19. October 2020 - Present, Command Chief, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan AB, ROK
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
Iraqi Campaign Medal with service star
Korean Defense Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Distinguished Graduate and Commandant’s Award, NCO Academy
2007 Master Military Training Instructor of the Year, 37th Training Wing
2008 Stripes To Exceptional Performers promotion to Master Sergeant
2012 Distinguished Graduate, SNCO Academy
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant 1 March 2016
(Current as of Oct 2020)