Springfield's Chief Phillips makes Ohio Air National Guard history Published Sept. 4, 2009 By Senior Master Sgt. Joseph R. Stahl 178 FW Public Affairs SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - -- Chief Master Sgt. Tamara Phillips was selected as the State Command Chief Master Sergeant for the state of Ohio, taking over for Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy, who is now the Air National Guard command chief. She assumed the position Aug. 1. Chief Phillips is the first female and first African-American state command chief for the Ohio Air National Guard. Attaining the rank of chief master sergeant has always been a career goal for Chief Phillips. Becoming command chief goes beyond those dreams. "I feel blessed that I was able to achieve my goal. To be command chief is icing on the cake," said Chief Phillips. She began her career with the 176th Wing, Kulis Air National Guard Base, in Anchorage, Alaska, as an information manager. Growing up in Alaska as the daughter of a military member, Chief Phillips worked for the Red Cross Summer Work Program trying to decide what professional path she wanted to take. A mentor who she babysat for at the time recommended the Air National Guard. She took that advice, and hasn't looked back since. Chief Phillips moved to Ohio to be closer to family in 1993 and joined the 906th Fighter Group at Wright-Patterson AFB. In 1995 she moved into an Air National Guard information manager position with the 269th Combat Communications Group as a traditional Guardsman. In 1996 Chief Phillips moved to a full-time information manager position in the 162nd Operations Group at Springfield ANGB. That same year she became the administrative executive assistant to the base's wing commander. In 2002 Chief Phillips became the Fighter Wing Staff first sergeant and Mission Support Flight superintendent. "I feel a gambit of emotions right now," said Chief Phillips about her new position. She is anxious and excited, but is a little sad to leave Springfield, she said. Some of her new duties will be to advise the Command Chiefs in the state, to act as liaison for the Air National Guard and be a mentor to Ohio Air National Guard servicemembers. She will also be an ambassador with Serbia and Hungary, who are our partner units.