Chief Master Sergeant William R. Gruenes is the Command Chief of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. He advises the wing commander on all matters concerning the morale, welfare, training, and utilization of the wing's personnel. The wing manages a $70 million budget and $3.8 billion in assets, supporting global Air Expeditionary Force requirements, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the Space Development Agency, and Cavalier Space Force Station. It also operates one of 2 worldwide High Frequency Global Communication Systems, supporting senior leader communications for the Department of Defense, including the President of the United States.
Chief Gruenes entered the Air Force in March of 1998. He has performed various duties in support of fourteen distinct airframes around the world. Additionally, he has served in a variety of leadership positions as Lead Production Superintendent, Additional Duty First Sergeant, Military Training Leader, Military Training Instructor, and Command Chief Leadership Course Director. He has deployed in support of Operation NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, INFINITE JUSTICE, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and FREEDOM’S SENTINAL.
EDUCATION
1998 Aircraft Structural Maintenance Specialist Course, Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL
2002 Airmen Leadership School, Grand Forks, ND
2007 Associate of Applied Science, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2009 Noncommisioned Officer Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany
2010 Military Training Instructor Course, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
2011 Associate of Applied Science, Instructor of Tech and Military Science, Community College of the Air Force
2012 Senior Noncommisioned Officer Academy, by correspondence
2014 Professional Manager Certification, Community College of the Air Force
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
2016 Bachelor of Science, Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
2018 Master of Science, Homeland Security, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, VA
2019 Military Training Leader Course, Keesler AFB, MS
2022 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
2023 Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
2023 Group Senior Enlisted Leader Course, Montgomery, AL
2024 Senior Enlisted Leader Mission Command Training, Hickam AFB, HI
2025 Wing Command Team Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1998 – May 1998, Student, Basic Military Training Course, 320th Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
2. May 1998 – August 1998, Student, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Specialist Course, 361st Training Squadron, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL
3. August 1998 – August 2008, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 319th Maintenance Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, ND (February 2000 – March 2000, Aircraft Structural Maintenance
Journeyman, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory)
(September 2001 – January 2002, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Journeyman, 319th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron, Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain)
(October 2002 – December 2002, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 900th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey)
(October 2003 – December 2003, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, NSF Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory)
(June 2006 – October 2006 Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
(July 2007 – September 2007, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Section Chief, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
4. August 2008 – June 2010, Corrosion Control NCOIC, 52d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
5. June 2010 – January 2012, Military Training Instructor, 323d Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX
6. January 2012 – September 2014, Instructor Supervisor Military Training, 323d Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX
7. September 2014 – May 2016, Aircraft Structural Maintenance Section Chief, 31st Maintenance Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy (April 2015 – November 2015, Accessories and Fabrication Flight Chief, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
8. May 2016 – December 2017, Production Superintendent, 31st Maintenance Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy (April 2017 – November 2017, Lead Production Superintendent, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
9. December 2017 – August 2019, Fabrication Flight Chief, 31st Maintenance Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
10. August 2019 – July 2020, Military Training Superintendent, 365th Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX
11. July 2020 – November 2021, Group Military Training Superintendent, 782d Training Group, Sheppard AFB, TX
12. November 2021 – November 2022, Senior Enlisted Leader, 361st Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX
13. November 2022 – July 2024, Senior Enlisted Leader, 82d Training Group, Sheppard AFB, TX
14. July 2024 – May 2025, Senior Enlisted Leader/Course Director, Ira C. Eaker Center for Leadership Development, Maxwell AFB, AL
15. June 2025 – Present, Command Chief, 319th Reconnaissance Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with “C” device and three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
(Current as of July 2024)