Chief Master Sergeant Jeremy J. Keely is the Senior Enlisted Leader, Columbus Medical Group, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. As the commander's principal enlisted advisor, he provides strategic counsel on force development, readiness, health service support, and the welfare and utilization of enlisted Airmen across the organization. He advises commanders on medical readiness, force health protection, and operational support while ensuring the development of a mission-ready force capable of supporting Air Education and Training Command's pilot production mission. Drawing from almost two decades of leadership experience spanning aircraft maintenance, public health, first sergeant duties, senior enlisted leadership positions, and oversight of more than 170 Air Force Specialty Codes, Chief Keely delivers enterprise-level expertise in operational readiness, healthcare operations, and Airman development.
Chief Keely entered the Air Force in July 2006 as an Aircraft Armament Systems Apprentice and was assigned to RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, where he supported F-15 combat operations. In 2012, he retrained into the Public Health career field and served in progressively responsible leadership positions at Edwards Air Force Base, California. He later served at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as Superintendent and Senior Enlisted Leader of operational medical organizations before being selected as First Sergeant for the 81st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron and 81st Comptroller Squadron. He subsequently served as First Sergeant for the 412th Security Forces Squadron and 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, providing leadership and support to some of the Air Force's largest and most complex test and evaluation missions. Prior to his current assignment, Chief Keely served as the Senior Enlisted Leader, 96th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
EDUCATION
2010 Airman Leadership School, Royal Air Force Base (AFB) Lakenheath, United Kingdom
2015 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Keesler AFB, MS.
2015 Associate of Applied Science, Aircraft Armament Technology, Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL. 2015
Associate of Applied Science, Public Health Technology, CCAF, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL.
2015 Bachelor of Health Administration, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, VA.
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Air University, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL., by correspondence
2017 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education - Level II, by correspondence
2017 Master of Health Administration, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, VA.
2017 Professional Manager Certification, Air University, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL.
2019 Professional Certification in Health Informatics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA,
2021 Air Force First Sergeant Academy, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL.
2021 United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Naval War College, Newport RI.
2023 Master of Science in Management, University of Management and Technology, Arlington, VA.
2023 Certified Business Continuity Professional, Disaster Recovery Institute, Dearborn, MI.
2023 Professional Certification in Exercising Leadership, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
2024 Certified Project Master, Project Innovation, Washington, DC.
2024 Certified Project Director, Project Innovation, Washington, DC.
2024 Certified Business Resilience Manager, Business Resilience Certification Consortium International, Ontario, Canada
2026 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2006 - September 2006, Trainee, 324th Training Squadron (TRS), Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), TX.
2. September 2006 - February 2007, Student, 363rd TRS, Sheppard AFB, TX.
3. February 2007 - May 2009, Load Team Member, 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath, United Kingdom
4. May 2009 - May 2011, Standardization Lead Crew Member, 48th Maintenance Operations Squadron, Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath, United
Kingdom (August 2010 – January 2011, Lead Crew Team Member, 48 Maintenance Operations Squadron, Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania)
5. May 2011 - April 2012, Maintenance Team Chief, 48th Munitions Squadron, Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, United Kingdom
6. April 2012 - August 2012, Student, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
7. August 2012 - March 2017, Public Health Flight Chief, 412th Aerospace Medicine Squadron (AMDS), Edwards AFB, CA.
8. March 2017 - March 2019, Superintendent, 412th AMDS, Edwards AFB, CA. (July 2018 - January 2019, Flight Chief, Preventive and Aerospace
Medicine, 332 Medical Group, Undisclosed Location)
9. March 2019 - October 2019, Flight Chief, Flight and Operational Medicine, 81st AMDS, Keesler AFB, MS.
10. October 2019 - January 2021, Superintendent, 81st AMDS, Keesler AFB, MS.
11. January 2021 - June 2022, First Sergeant, 81 Wing Staff Agencies, Keesler AFB, MS.
12. June 2022 - June 2024, First Sergeant, 412th Security Forces Squadron, Edwards AFB, CA. (January 2023 - June 2023, First Sergeant, 387th
Air Expeditionary Squadron, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
13. June 2024 - February 2025, First Sergeant, 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Edwards AFB, CA.
14. February 2025 - June 2026, Senior Enlisted Leader, 96th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL.
15. June 2026 - Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, Columbus Medical Group, Columbus MS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Air Force Basic Training Honor Graduate
2008 Senior Airman Below-the-Zone
2009 48th Fighter Wing Airman of the Quarter
2009 48th Maintenance Operations Squadron Airman of the Year
2014 Air Force Materiel Command’s Public Health NCO of the Year
2014 412th Medical Group Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2015 Air Force Test Center’s Lance P. Sijan Nominee
2014 412th Medical Group Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2016 Air Force Sergeant’s Association’s Division 6 Volunteer Service Member of the Year
2017 Air Force Sergeant’s Association’s Division 6 Veterans Affairs Service Member of the Year
2018 Air Force Materiel Command’s Operational Medicine Excellence SNCO of the Year
2020 81st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron SNCO of the Year
2021 United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy Dean’s List
2022 412th Mission Support Group First Sergeant of the Year
2024 412th Maintenance Group First Sergeant of the Year
2024 Department of the Air Force's National Public Service Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic 25 July 2006
Airman First Class 8 September 2006
Senior Airman 8 July 2008
Staff Sergeant 1 June 2010
Technical Sergeant 1 July 2013
Master Sergeant 1 June 2016
Senior Master Sergeant 1 June 2022
Chief Master Sergeant, 1 March 2026
(Current as of June 2026)