Arthur L . Andrews Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Arthur L . " Bud " Andrews ( March 9 , 1934 – October 26 , 1996 ) was the seventh Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest Non - commissioned officer position in the United States Air Force . Biography . Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Arthur " Bud " L . Andrews was adviser to United States Secretary of the Air Force Verne Orr and Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Charles A . Gabriel on matters concerning welfare , effective utilization and progress of the enlisted members of the Air Force . He was the seventh chief master sergeant appointed to this ultimate noncommissioned officer position . Chief Andrews was born in Boston where he attended Cathedral of Holy Cross , Bancroft and Rice Public Schools , and the English High School . He enlisted in the Air Force in January 1953 and completed basic training at Sampson Air Force Base , N . Y . His first assignment was to Keesler Air Force Base , Miss . , in April 1953 , where he began 12 years as an air policeman , including eight years as an investigator . After a short tour at Keesler , he was sent to Sheppard Air Force Base , Texas , and then to French Morocco , North Africa . Returning to the United States 12 months later , he was assigned to Travis Air Force Base , Calif . , until January 1957 , when he was honorably discharged . In April 1958 he re - enlisted and was sent to Homestead Air Force Base , Fla . , for three months . Chief Andrews was then assigned to Naha Air Base , Okinawa . He returned to the United States , and went to Shaw Air Force Base , S . C . , as an air police investigator . The chief returned to Okinawa in April 1965 as noncommissioned officer in charge of the law enforcement administration section at Kadena Air Base . He was later appointed noncommissioned officer in charge of protocol and then cross - trained into the first sergeant career field . His first assignment as a first sergeant began with the 4576th Transportation Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base , Fla . Six months later he was assigned to the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand . Following his return from Southeast Asia , he was assigned to the Defense Language Institute West Coast in Monterey , Calif . Two years later he received his second assignment to Southeast Asia at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base , South Vietnam , as first sergeant for the 483rd Organizational Maintenance Squadron . In December 1971 the chief returned to Keesler and served initially with the 3385th Student Squadron and then with the 3392nd Student Squadron . While there he attended Class 73C of the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Gunter Air Force Station , Ala . Upon graduation he transferred to the 6594th Test Group at Hickam Air Force Base , Hawaii . He was assigned to Headquarters Squadron Section at Hanscom Air Force Base , Mass . , as the first sergeant from January 1976 to June 1977 . Chief Andrews was then selected as senior enlisted adviser to the commander , electronic systems division at Hanscom . He became senior enlisted adviser to the commander , Air Force Systems Command , Andrews Air Force Base , Md . , in May 1978 . In 1981 , he became Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force . Awards and decorations . Awarded but not worn as the CMSAF