MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE — The grandson of a Selma community couple has been promoted to the Air Forces’ highest enlisted grade. Selma resident Amos E. Moore, grandson of John and Juliette Moore of Summerfield has been promoted to the grade of Command Chief Master Sergeant.

Moore, a 1965 graduate of Brantley High School in Selma, will serve as the 908th Airlift Wing’s top enlisted person.

Moore retired from United Parcel Service in 1988 as a Delivery Operations Manager. He then joined the unit as an air transportation specialist. Moore has been deployed in support of various operations to over 35 instillations in the United States and Alaska, in addition to overseas locations including Germany, England, France, Japan, The Netherlands, and Belgium in his 15 years with the 908th.

There are over 58,500 enlisted personnel in the Air Force Reserve Command; approximately 620 or just over 1 percent ever hold the rank of Chief Master Sergeant and only 45 hold the rank of Command Chief Master Sergeant. The men and women in the Air Force Reserve Command comprise nearly half of America’s total military force.

The 908th is located at Maxwell AFB near Montgomery, AL and is the state’s only Air Force reserve unit; this appointment makes Chief Moore the highest-ranking enlisted Air Force reservist in the state. The 908th operates a fleet of nine C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft. Known as the “Workhorse of the Air Force,” this plane can carry 42,000 pounds of cargo, 92 troops, 64 paratroops or 74 litter patients. It can fly up to 386 mph with a range of 5,200 miles.

The wing has approximately 200 officers and 1,000 enlisted personnel who serve the unit as reservists, normally spending one weekend a month and two weeks of annual training per year with the unit.

Chief Moore will report directly to Cornel James N. Stewart, 908th Wing Commander and advise him of the issues, concerns, morale, and the state of readiness of the more than 1,000 enlisted personnel. The day-to-day operations of the 908th are handled by a group of 140 civil servants known as air reserve technicians who also serve as reservists, and a small number of civilian employees who do not have Reserve status.

Moore is married to the former Bernice Tipton, of Selma and has three Children, a son Anthony, 24, who resides in Las Vegas, and two daughters, Stephanie, 12, and Allison, 7.

When not performing his duties as an Air Force reservist Moore is employed by the city of Selma as Program Director of Selma Digital Opportunity, a city sponsored computer-training program to assist residents in computer literacy in order to make them more marketable to prospective employers.

He is also very active in the Selma community. He serves as Sunday school teacher, Treasurer, Trustee, and Chairman of the board of deacons at Macedonia Baptist Church. He serves as assistant secretary of the Dallas County chapter of the Alabama Democratic Convention, and recently appointed Chairman of the Mayor James Perkins Jr. 2004 re-election committee. He is currently a member of the Steering committee of the Magnet Schools of Selma, was president of Selma Middle School PTO from 2001 to 2002, president of School of Discovery PTO from 2000 to 2001, and president of Edgewood School PTO from 1998 to 2000. He was a substitute schoolteacher for Selma/Dallas County, and a Charter member of the Edgewood School chapter of F.A.C.E. (Fathers Active in Children’s Education). He served on the Board of Directors of the Selma Arts Council from 1994 to 1997,and in 1989 Gov. Guy Hunt gave him a lifetime commission in the Alabama State Militia. Chief Moore depicts the ideal picture of the term Citizen Soldier.