(PRESS RELEASE) -- Chief Master Sgt. Luamata P. Faiai Jr. has retired from the U.S. Air Force after more than 30 years of faithful, dedicated military service. He achieved the highest attainable rank of the Air Force enlisted force structure and pinnacle of the noncommissioned officer grades.
Prior to retiring, Chief Faiai served as superintendent and enlisted advisor/manager for the 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, N.M. As the senior enlisted leader, he was responsible to the commander for the professional development, military readiness and mission effectiveness of more than 400 military and civilian members. The squadron is responsible for providing comprehensive logistics support to the 49th Fighter Wing and 26 units.
Faiai enlisted in the Air Force in November 1979, completed basic military training, and received an assignment to Holloman Air Force Base as a supply pick-up and delivery driver. During the remainder of his career, he served at various military installations in the U.S. and overseas, to include George Air Base, Calif.; Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; Misawa Air Base, Japan; and South Korea. The chief master sergeant also served on numerous deployments to serve in support of Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Southern Watch, and Enduring Freedom.
Some of his major military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, and two Kuwait Liberation Medals (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Government of Kuwait).
He is the son of Faleosina Faiai of Village of Utumea West, and Paepae Faiai.
His wife, Tuaula Christina Lemanu'a Faiai, is the daughter of Pale and Oliana Lemanu'a of 10th Ave., Leavenworth, Kan. The chief and his wife have three sons, Iosefa, Joshua, and Jacob, and one daughter, Aisi.
LEUMA BEN ALEFOSIO
Leauma Ben Alefosio has graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) Leader’s Training Course at Fort Knox, Ky.
The four-week course is a leadership internship for cadets that can lead to the ultimate goal of becoming an Army officer. College students experience and examine the Army without incurring an obligation to serve in the Army or ROTC, and are eligible to receive two-year college scholarship offers and attend the Advanced ROTC Course at their college.
Cadets are observed and evaluated during classroom and field training exercises to determine their officer potential in leadership abilities and skills. The cadets are trained to have a sound understanding of traditional leadership values during the challenging, motivating “hands-on” training. The training develops well-disciplined, highly motivated, physically conditioned students, and helps improve the cadets' self-confidence, initiative, leadership potential, decision making, and collective team cohesion. The cadets receive training in fundamental military skills, rifle marksmanship, small arms tactics, weapons training, drill and ceremony, communications, combat water survival training, rappelling, land navigation and squad-level operations field training.
He is the son of Ropati and Sipa’u Alefosio.
