COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Hundreds of moving dots on the radar whirled around the Columbus airspace as rows of Airmen monitored their flight paths in the darkness of the Radar Approach Control room. The silhouette of a figure stood at the center of the storm, orchestrating the aerial ballet to ensure the safety of hundreds of lives.
Senior Airman Cheyanne Baldini is the first air traffic controller at CAFB to rise to the critical role of watch supervisor, a position normally held by a Non-commissioned officer or higher. In order to achieve this position Baldini needed to spend three years as an air traffic controller; complete Airman Leadership School; achieve 7-level training status; and complete a minimum of six months of WS qualification training.
“Her team trusts her to run this facility every single day,” said Staff Sgt. Ayden Irish, Baldini's senior watch supervisor. “And that's what she’s doing, working with that many people every day, all at different skills levels and forms of training can be super difficult to facilitate.”
CAFB is the 3rd busiest airfield in the Air Force with over 200 sorties per day. The watch supervisor serves as the glue holding daily operations together. They oversee a team of controllers, manage traffic flow, coordinate with pilots and agencies, and make real-time decisions to maintain safety and efficiency.
“You’re in charge of a whole room of people and operations for the RAPCON, so you have to make those quick decisions,” said Baldini. “It’s not just about knowing the job – it’s about leading the team.”
Baldini scored the importance of her work in supporting the base’s pilot training mission. “At the end of the day, it’s about those pilots going up and coming home,” she said. “It’s not about the rank or title sitting at the desk. It’s, ‘Did we make the right decision for their safety?’”.
“SrA Baldini is quite literally the heartbeat of the watch supervisors,” said Senior Master Sgt. Santiago, the RAPCON Chief Controller, who noted that she is the first senior airman at CAFB to hold this position in the radar facility. “Because of her superior performance and that trust, she has been on an upward trajectory since the moment I got to meet her.”
Staff Sgt. Irish praised her natural leadership qualities, stating that her achievement as the first air traffic controller at CAFB to reach the watch supervisor position while still serving as a Senior Airman, reflects -- not only her personal excellence -- but also her ability to inspire confidence in both subordinates and superiors.
“She has this ability to sense how people are feeling and check in on them,” said Irish. “Her team – even those at the senior master sergeant level – trust her to run the facility every single day.”
Irish also highlighted Baldini’s high standards and dedication.
“As a National Search and Rescue Coordinator, she upholds that standard daily, and we entrusted her with it,” he said.
Baldini’s decision to step into the watch supervisor role was driven by her commitment to the team.
“She did it because she wanted to help the team and knew she was equipped to do it,” Irish said.
Baldini’s expertise, leadership and dedication to safety and mission readiness makes her an invaluable asset to Columbus AFB. Her work at RAPCON ensures pilots can train effectively while keeping the skies safe for all aircraft and people in the region.