Master Sgt. Evelardo De Leon Jr. is the United States Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II Heritage Flight team chief, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. As the F-35A Heritage Flight team chief, he is responsible for representing Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, United States Air Force, Department of Defense, and the United States of America at 16 air shows annually. He leads nine F-35A Heritage Flight Team enlisted members and oversees all maintenance actions performed on the F-35. By doing so, he ensures Heritage Flight pilots are equipped with a safe and effective jet to execute their mission of showcasing the Air Force’s premier fifth-generation aircraft for millions of spectators each year.
Sergeant De Leon was born in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Parker High School in Parker, Arizona, graduating June 1995. Only six days later, he enlisted into the United States Air Force. His career has included assignments as a C-141/C-5/C-17 en-route specialist, C-130E hydraulic craftsman/dedicated crew chief, C-17 aircraft maintenance craftsman, FTD instructor, E-8C hydraulic section supervisor, weapons system adviser to the New York Air National Guard and the F-35A crew chief section chief. He has deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Desert Fox, Operation Phoenix Scorpion I/II, Operation Allied Force, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn Operation Odyssey Dawn, and Operation Unified Protector.
EDUCATION
2001 Airman Leadership School, Yokota Air Base, Japan
2006 Associate Applied Science Degree, Aircraft Systems Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2008 Instructor of Technology and Military Science, CCAF
2008 Master Instructor Certificate, Air Education Training Command
2008 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2009 Occupational Instructor, CCAF
2010 Bachelors of Science in work force education and development, Southern Illinois University
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 1996 – 1998, 637th AGS - C-17 Hydraulic Systems Journeyman, Charleston AFB, S.C.
2. 1998 – 2002, 730th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, C-17/C-5/C-141Hydraulic Systems Craftsman, Yokota AB, Japan
3. 2002 – 2005, 314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, C-130E Hydraulic Systems Craftsman/Dedicated Crew Chief, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. 2005 – 2010, 373rd Training Squadron Det. 12, C-17 Master Instructor/Flight Chief, McChord AFB, Wash.
5. 2010 – 2012, 461st Maintenance Squadron JSTARS, Hydraulic Section Chief, Robins AFB, Ga.
6. 2012 – 2014, 105th Maintenance Squadron, Weapon System Advisor, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
7. 2014 – 2015, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, F-35 Crew Chief Section Chief, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. 2015 – present, 56th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, F-35 Heritage Flight Team Chief, Luke AFB, Ariz.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman: Dec. 7, 1995
Airman 1st Class: Jan. 29, 1997
Senior Airman: Sept. 29, 1998
Staff Sergeant: April 1, 2001
Technical Sergeant: Dec. 1, 2006
Master Sergeant: Oct. 1, 2010
(Current as of February 2016)