Anthony Freeborn

Chief Master Sergeant Anthony “Clay” Freeborn is a retired sergeant from the United States Air Force as the Superintendent, 50th Operations Group, Schriever AFB, Colorado. He provided the senior enlisted operational leadership to over 1300 personnel serving in nine squadrons conducting worldwide employment of military space forces and operational space support to combatant commands.

Chief Freeborn began his Air Force career in January 1974 as a B-52 Gunner in the Strategic Air Command and logged over 4,000 flying hours as a mission-ready combat crewmember. He also served as a crew instructor, wing standardization evaluator, AETC instructor, flight sergeant, wings tactics instructor, squadron superintendent/first sergeant and gunnery program manager. On September 30, 1991, Chief Freeborn was a crewmember aboard the historic final B-52 Gunner Flight marking the end to over 76 years of airborne bomber gunnery defense.

In 1992, Chief Freeborn transitioned into space operations. He served as the senior aerospace control officer at the 45th Range Squadron, Cape Canaveral AFB. Florida providing the superintendent oversight for 73 space launches including 24 space shuttle launches and landings. Upon his promotion to Chief Master Sergeant, he served as the operational superintendent to HQ U.S. Space Command and HQ U.S. Strategic Command-West, Peterson AFB, Colorado.

Chief Freeborn is the recipient of the 8th Air Force Blue Ribbon Award and the 15th Air Force Bomber Crew of the Year Award and he was the, first-ever, Air Force Space Command’s Senior Noncommissioned Officer Space Operator of the Year.

Chief Freeborn is a graduate of the Air Force Academic Instructor School and the Strategic Air Command Tactics School. He holds Associate in Applied Science Degrees from the Community College of the Air Force in Resource Management, Space Operations, and Instructor of Technology and Military Science. He has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology from Excelsior College. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the NCO Leadership School, Commandant Award winner and Distinguished Graduate of the NCO Academy, and a Distinguished Graduate of the Senior NCO Academy.

His military decorations include the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters and the Combat Readiness Medal with five oak leaf clusters. He wears Chief Enlisted Aircrew Wings and the Master Space and Missile Badge. He’s a former president of the Robins Gunners Association, the Castle NCO Academy Graduates Association, The Patrick Space Coast Top 3, and the Colorado Springs Area Chiefs Group. He is a life member of the Air Force Association, the Noncommissioned Officers Association, the Air Force Sergeants Association, The Retired Enlisted Association, and the Air Force Gunners Association.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu