Chief Master Sergeant Ted R. Braxton, Jr., U.S. Air Force
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
Chief Master Sergeant Ted R. Braxton, Jr. assumed his current assignment as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa on 8 October 2024. As CJTF-HOA's CSEL, Chief Braxton directly advises and provides guidance to the commanding general on enlisted force matters, promotes discipline and professional development, and ensures the welfare and readiness of the enlisted personnel within the enterprise. He is the CSEL for an echelon 2 command, directly supporting a 2-star general officer. He oversees a joint force composed of one headquarters command and four subordinate commands dispersed across six locations in Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia.
Chief Braxton was born and raised in Jennings, Louisiana, where he enlisted in the Air Force in January 2000. Chief Braxton's extensive career background includes numerous deployed and garrison duties within the squadron, group, wing, major command, and combatant command levels. Chief Braxton's leadership experience is amplified as he has filled a myriad of roles, serving as command Inspector general of complaints and resolutions, first sergeant, general officer executive, postal, protocol duties, and other high-level leadership positions. Chief Braxton also completed numerous long and short overseas tours. He deployed and supported numerous Operations, including Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Freedom's Sentinel, Afghanistan Resolute Support, and East Africa's Horn of Africa command missions.
Chief Master Sergeant Ted R. Braxton, Jr. previously served as the Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing (U.S. Africa Command) Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He led the first and only air wing on the continent of Africa. The wing comprises of 1700 personnel, two groups, ten squadrons, and four austere airfields. The wing provides secure, reliable, and flexible power projection platforms employing tactical airlift, personnel recovery/casualty evacuation, base operations support, and direct logistics management, as well as providing battlefield and expeditionary Airmen capable of responding to humanitarian and contingency operations around the world in support of combatant commanders.
Prior to his role at the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, Chief Braxton served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, Camp Lemonnier, Republic of Djibouti, and the Commandant for U.S. Cyber Command, Maryland.
His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Chief Braxton holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Chief Braxton graduated from the National Defense University's Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leadership Course in 2024 and the Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course in 2021.