New AFMC First Sergeant reflects on role

  • Published
  • By Kayla Prather
  • Air Force Materiel Command

For one Air Force Materiel Command Airman, the decision to join the Air Force in 2004 turned out to be one of his best, and he hasn’t looked back since. Master Sgt. Andrew Davis’s nearly 20 years of service and now first sergeant ranking have taught him how to excel in his own career while striving to help all the Airmen he can along the way.

It all started for Davis shortly after high school. Only months after graduating in 2001, the 9/11 attacks occurred and struck tragedy across the nation. After witnessing this attack on America, he felt compelled to join the military as many of his friends had done.

“After a few years of trying to figure life out, I was kind of in a dead place on what I wanted to do with my life…I really did not know what step I should take next,” said Davis. “I decided to join the Air Force after talking to some of my family members who were enlisted in the military. I also felt called to serve after what had happened shortly after I graduated in 2001.”

Immediately after basic training, Davis went to Goodfellow Air Force Base to start his journey into cyber intelligence.

“I got into intelligence by happenstance and luck, as someone else broke their leg while I was up for my enlistment date, opening a spot for me to enlist sooner,” said Davis. “Because of this, I had to take his career field.”

After Goodfellow AFB, he was stationed in South Carolina, Maryland, Georgia, Texas, Hawaii, and now Ohio. Davis has worked a wide variety of cyber intelligence positions in political, economic and communication analyzation, cyber operations, counter terrorism and cyber threat intelligence, and he has been a member of cyber protection teams.

When Davis arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, he was still working in cyber intelligence, as the senior noncommissioned officer in charge of malware analysis and foreign material exploitation. It was at this time his career trajectory changed paths.  He applied and was hired as a first sergeant, officially putting on the diamond on May 4, 2021.

After being first sergeant in the 88th Communications Squadron, he made the move to first sergeant at AFMC.

“This job at AFMC allows me to see things from a broader scope -- to have a mission with such a broad impact,” said Davis.

Davis said that his goal at AFMC is the same no matter what position he is in – to take care of Airmen. He wants to make sure people understand that the Air Force cares for all Airmen and helps whenever possible. Only after he has helped the Airmen in need around him does he believe his job is fully complete.

“What motivated me to go down the line to first sergeant is being able to help people and seeing them work through their issues and come out on the other side, as well as celebrate their accomplishments,” said Davis.

The reason that Davis feels he has stayed in the Air Force all this time is because of the impact he has had on Airmen and all of the comradery he has felt throughout his career.

“The role of the first sergeant is to care about our people. People are our business. Our Airmen are not just a rank and a name,” said Davis. “We have to go beyond just saying what they do for the mission…my job is to take care of Airmen – both uniform and non-uniform.”

When reflecting his own work/life balance, Davis shared a fresh perspective that he uses in order to help himself and others. He and his team use the word harmony instead of balance when referring to work and life.

“Work and life are never going really going to be balanced,” said Davis. “But, you can work to bring as much harmony into your life as possible.”

In his own life, he practices that harmony by spending with his wife and two kids, bowling, and hiking, and he also enjoys spending some time alone to check in with himself.

“It all sort of allows me have some form in my life,” said Davis. “You can't pour from an empty cup. Sometimes you have to take some time as a first sergeant to fill your own cup, and then you are able to pour some more out to help others.”

Davis looks toward the future with excitement and hope when thinking about all the Airmen that he will cross paths with and be able to help in more ways than one.

Airmen can reach Davis via email or phone at andrew.davis.16@us.af.mil, (937) 257-4972.