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Airman named Guard’s new senior NCO

Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall of the Hawaii Air National Guard has been picked to be the new senior enlisted leader in Guard chief Gen. Craig McKinley’s office, McKinley announced Nov. 19.

Jelinski-Hall is the first Air Guard member and the first woman to fill the role. She will advise McKinley on enlisted affairs of the 457,000 airmen and soldiers in the Army and Air Guard.

Jelinski-Hall started in the Air Force as an air traffic control operator at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Four years later, she transferred to the communications field and the California Air National Guard. She joined the Hawaii Guard in 1990 and became the command chief master sergeant for the 154th Wing at Hickam Air Force Base in 2004. She later became senior enlisted leader for the Hawaii Guard, which is a joint position.

“This was a very tough decision, because of all the very well-qualified candidates who applied for this position,” McKinley said. “Chief Jelinski-Hall will be a welcome addition to my staff.”

McKinley made the announcement at the Guard’s Joint Senior Leadership Conference.