OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE - Mass. -- The 102nd Civil Engineer Squadron Operations Superintendent, Chief Master Sgt. Michael Adduci, was promoted to the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force. Adduci was joined by family, friends and fellow members of the 102nd Intelligence Wing to celebrate his achievement and all he has done for the 102nd CES during his time in service.
We asked Chief Adduci a few questions about his 31 years of service. See his answers below:
1. What does it mean to you to achieve the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force?
“The easy answer: It’s an incredible honor. I planned on retiring as a Master Sergeant when I was the shop superintendent in the Water and Fuels shop. My leadership stepped in and found a way. So, it’s an incredible honor and humbling to achieve this rank.”
2. What piece of advice has stuck with you over your career?
“Never be the reason that you don’t advance or get a position that you could. You never know how the tides will shift. Positions and circumstances change all the time, so make sure you create that opening for yourself. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
3. Is there a particular memory during your time in the service that felt important to you?
“I’ve been in the military for thirty-one years. There are numerous occasions that are important. As I think about this question one particular memory comes to mind. In 2007, I was going through one of the hardest times in my life and as luck would have, I got tasked to deploy to Cuba. Normally, I wouldn’t have blinked an eye at this, but this timing was truly difficult. To my surprise, an Airman in my shop went to our leadership without my knowledge and volunteered to go in my place. It got approved and they brought me in the office to tell me the plan. I still had multiple problems going on, but at that moment a huge weight had been lifted. CE has always been a second family, and we talk about this often in the squadron. Well, on that day my brother-in-arms solidified that. His name was Master Sgt. Dale Melanson, and he will forever be my brother.”