HIANG Command Chief selected for NGB post

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Betty J. Squatrito-Martin
  • 154 WG Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  There she was putting the final touches on the Hometown Heroes event, making sure every last detail was in place, seeking and getting advice from her fellow Airman all in an effort to make sure those who have been deployed are recognized for their service; thus, like the final chord of a symphony, Command Chief Jelinski Hall ends her tenure with the Hawaii Air National Guard with a resounding harmonic conclusion that punctuates her tenure with the HIANG.

During the Joint Senior Leadership Conference held outside Washington D.C., Nov. 19, Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard tapped Hawaii's Senior Enlisted Advisor to be his top advisor on enlisted matters. Command Chief Master Sgt. Jelinski-Hall is the first Air Guardsman and the first woman to be selected for the National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor post.

"We are very proud of Chief Jelinski-Hall's selection as the senior enlisted leader for the National Guard Bureau," said Maj. Gen. Robert Lee, the adjutant general of the Hawaii National Guard. "She has accomplished many things in her 25-year career, and she will continue to excel at the national level," Maj. Gen Lee added.

Command Chief Master Sgt. Jelinski-Hall is set to take the reigns as advisor on the enlisted affairs of the 457,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the Army and Air National Guard in February.

"I see my role as advising Gen. McKinley on all matters affecting the enlisted corps, Army and Air, and their families. I see myself working on big, broad programs, anything that touches our enlisted men and women," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall. "It's about service, about commitment and making a difference ... for America - adding value," she added.

While at the 154th Wing and HIANG headquarters, Command Chief Jelinski-Hall has had her hand in a number of initiatives to include but not limited to: reinvigorating the awards and decorations process, jump starting the Enlisted Performance Feedback program, re-establishing and maintaining standards of dress and appearance in the HIANG, and developing mentoring programs.

The Hometown Heroes event, like the many events that have transpired since she sewed on the "star," would not have taken place without her.

"My desire is to be visible and accessible, to show the Airmen and Soldiers that their hard work is appreciated," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Jelinski-Hall.
Visible and accessible she is. "She has been with me on every single trip I've made to Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and the Philippines, visiting our National Guard troops in the field," said Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, state adjutand general.

"She will represent our Soldiers and Airmen extremely well," he added.

"My goal is to take that visibility and accessibility to the national level," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Jelinski-Hall. I hope to take the standards and accountability with me, she added. "I want to hold leaders accountable, and I look forward to representing all Airmen and Soldiers," she added.

With the first ever Hometown Heroes Ceremony behind her, she hopes this will become a yearly tradition. As she has said time and time again, it's about saying, "Thank you for answering the call to serve our country."

As the Command Chief puts her final touches on the HIANG, she reminds Airmen about the importance of growing and mentoring one another.

"It is critically important to change and grow as a leader; seek leadership opportunities," she said. "Don't stay stagnant, seek opportunities to develop and make yourself a better leader; prepare for opportunity," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Jelinski-Hall. "Keep the level of professional standards high; expect the best of one another," she added.

Although Jelinski-Hall has spent the last 19 years with the Hawaii Air National Guard, she has worked in a number of places and held a number of jobs. Her Air Force career began in 1984 as an air traffic control operator at Offutt Air Force, Neb., followed by a transfer to the communications field and the California National Guard.

She joined the Hawaii Guard in 1990 and became the command chief master sergeant for the 154th Wing in 2004. She went on to become the senior enlisted leader for the Hawaii Guard.

So, after a 19-year tenure in the Guard, Jelinski-Hall leaves her stamp on the HIANG: high standards, visibility and accessibility.

"It has been an honor to be a port of the HIANG and serve with my brothers and sisters; I will miss them dearly. I will take the Aloha Spirit with me and spread it across the country.