CMSgt Terrell Mickens is the Senior Enlisted Leader of The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. She leads a team of military and civilian professionals providing legal education and training for approximately 20,000 legal professionals, commanders, and other leaders throughout the Air and Space Forces and the Department of Defense.
Chief Mickens entered the Air Force in September 2001 and completed Avionics Sensors Maintenance technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. In 2005, she retrained into the Paralegal career-field holding positions in military justice, claims, civil and administrative law and tax center administration at the Wing, MAJCOM and in the contingency environment. Prior to assuming her current role, Chief Mickens served as a Department of Defense Legislative Fellow, in the office of House Armed Services Committee member, Representative Rick Larsen of Washington State and as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison.
EDUCATION
2007
Associate’s Degree of Avionic Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter, AL
2008
Bachelor of Science, Management, Troy University, Troy, AL
2009
Associate of Applied Science, Paralegal Studies, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell-Gunter, AL
2012
Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education (correspondence)
2013
Noncommissioned Officer Academy (Distinguished Graduate), JB Pearl Harbor Hickam, HI
2014
Master of Science, National Security Affairs, Troy University, Troy, AL
2014
Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course, Maxwell-Gunter, AL
2015
Senior Noncommissioned Officers, Course 14, Distance Learning Course
2015
Professional Management Certification
2017
Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II (correspondence)
2017
Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, In-residence (Distinguished Graduate) Maxwell-Gunter, AL
2018
Paralegal Advanced Developmental Education Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2018
Military Justice Administration Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019
Law Office Management Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022
Georgetown Government Affairs Institute – Legislative Affairs Graduate Certifications, Washington D.C.
2022
Wilson Institute – AI and National Security Lab Certification
2022
MIT Sloan School of Business Management – AI/ML in Business Practices Certification
2023
Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell-Gunter, AL
2023
Air Force Strategic Leadership Course, In-Residence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2023
Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations, John’s Hopkins University, Laurel, MD
2024
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, Project Management Institute
2024
Enterprise Leadership Seminar, UNC-Kenan Flagler Business School, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC
ASSIGNMENTS
1.
July 2001 – December 2005, Mission Systems Journeyman (C-130 airframe), Component Maintenance Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
2.
December 2005 – August 2008, Paralegal (Military Justice), NCOIC (Gen Law), 316th Wing, Andrews Air Force Base (AFB), MD
3.
August 2008 – August 2010, NCOIC (Military Justice), 65th Air Base Wing, Lajes Field, AZ, Portugal
4.
August 2010 – February 2012, NCOIC (Courts-Martial), 15th Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, HI
5.
February 2012 – February 2013, NCOIC (Administrative Law), HQ PACAF (August 2012 – February 2013, Deployed NCOIC, Legal Office – Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines, Camp Navarro)
6.
February 2013 – October 2013, Asst. NCOIC, (Operations and International Law), HQ/PACAF, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
7.
October 2013 – August 2014, NCOIC (Military Justice), HQ PACAF, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
8.
August 2014 – September 2016, Professional Military Education Instructor, Sheppard NCO Academy, Sheppard AFB, TX
9.
September 2016 – September 2017, Superintendent, Curriculum and Analysis, Sheppard NCO Academy Sheppard AFB, TX
10.
September 2017 – August 2018, Director of Resources/First Sergeant, Sheppard NCO Academy, Sheppard AFB, TX
11.
August 2018 – January 2019, NCOIC (General Law), 11th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, MD
12.
January 2019 – August 2019, NCOIC (Military Justice), 11th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, MD
13.
August 2019 – June 2021, Law Office Senior Enlisted Leader, 316th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, MD
14.
June 2021 – December 2022, Defense Legislative Fellow, Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison, Pentagon, VA
15.
January 2023 – June 2024, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Secretary of the Air Force Legislative Liaison, Pentagon, VA
16.
June 2024 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Judge Advocate General's School, Montgomery, AL
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters
Joint Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ two oak leaf clusters
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service
2012
13th AF – Outstanding Junior Paralegal of the Year
2013
HQ PACAF – Outstanding Junior Paralegal of the Year
2013
HQ PACAF – Society of American Indians in Government Excellence Award
2017
Sheppard NCO Academy SNCO of the Year
2017
Lance P. Sijan Award – Barnes Center and Air University
2018
Sheppard NCO Academy SNCO of the Year
2018
Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
2020
AFDW – Outstanding Senior Paralegal of the Year
2020
Department of the Air Force Outstanding Legal Office of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant October 2022
(Current as of June 2024)
