Chief Master Sergeant Ryan J. Cote
State Command Chief MeANG - (ME) Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) Augusta
CMSgt Ryan J. Cote is assigned to Joint Force Headquarters,
Maine Air National Guard, Camp Chamberlain, Augusta, Maine. He is the Maine State Command Chief and serves as the
advisor to the Adjutant General and staff on matters of health, welfare,
morale, professional development and effective utilization of more than 1,067
enlisted personnel assigned to the Maine Air National Guard.
Chief Cote grew up in Caribou, Maine and entered the Air Force in August
1998 followed by completion of Electronics Principles and the Secure
Communications Systems Apprentice Course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in
March 1999. During his nine years of active duty, Chief Cote was stationed at
three different bases including an overseas extended long tour in England and a
tour to Saudi Arabia where he participated in Operation Southern Watch and
Operation Enduring Freedom. During this time he performed many duties in and
outside of his career field including Base Honor Guardsman, Maintenance Control
Center Controller, and he was handpicked to serve as Bailiff for a general
court martial. After completing his active duty enlistment, he joined the Maine
Air National Guard where he deployed to Iraq to participate in Operation New
Dawn and Djibouti and Kenya to participate in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Chief
Cote recently completed a 1095 Military Personnel Appropriation tour and was
pivotal in securing the Maine Air National Guard’s involvement with the 577th
Software Maintenance Squadron while performing upgrades to the Distributed
Common Ground System AN/GSQ-272, an Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance weapons system. His work and expertise led to a savings of over
$3 Million for the Air Force. Prior to his current position, Chief Cote was the
Group Superintendent, 101st Maintenance Group, Bangor Air National
Guard Base, Bangor, Maine.
Chief
Cote worked for a two-way radio company and internet service provider after
leaving active duty where he learned to climb towers and work on cable and
antenna systems. After that he worked in
information technology for a federal job training program and did network
support for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Limestone,
Maine. Currently, Chief Cote is a Field
Technology Officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of
Information Technology. In addition to
his full time work, Chief Cote uses his military learned skills in electronics
to run sound equipment and provide computer support for a local church and
figure skating club. He currently resides in Caribou with his wife and two
daughters that support his service with the Air National Guard that frequently
takes him away from home.
EDUCATION
2002 Airman Leadership School RAF Feltwell,
England
2003 Associate of Applied Science Degree,
Electronic Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell Air
Force Base, Ala.
2007 Associate
of Applied Science
Degree, Instructor of Technology and
Military Science, Community
College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell
AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military
Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2013 Leading Self and Teams, Dale Carnegie
Course, DFAS Limestone, Maine
EDUCATION CON’T.
2014 How to Coach Employees to Peak Performance,
Dale Carnegie Course, DFAS Limestone, Maine
2016 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
Distance Learning Course, Maxwell AFB,
Ala., by correspondence
2017 Lean 6 Sigma Green Belt, DFAS Limestone,
Maine
2018 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Advanced
Leadership Experience, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Chief’s Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB,
Ala., virtual in-residence course
2021 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Business
Management, minor in IT and Project Management, University of Maine, Presque
Isle, Maine
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1998–October 1998, Student, Basic
Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1998–March 1999, Student, Technical
Training School, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. March 1999–March 2002, Secure Communications
Systems Journeyman, 55th Communications Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
(September 2001–November 2001, Computer Maintenance Technician, 320th
Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Operation Southern Watch and Operation
Enduring Freedom, Eskan Village, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
4. March 2002–March 2006, Computer, Network,
Switching, and Cryptographic Systems Craftsman, 422nd Air Base
Squadron, Royal Air Force Croughton, England
5. March 2006–September 2007, Instructor, Network
Infrastructure Systems Course, 338th Training Squadron, Keesler AFB,
Mississippi
6. September 2007–August 2009, Network
Infrastructure Systems Craftsman, 265th Combat Communications
Squadron, South Portland Air National Guard Station, Maine
7. August 2009–June 2016, Noncommissioned Officer
in Charge, Cyber Transport Systems, 265th Combat Communications
Squadron, South Portland Air National Guard Station, Maine (December 2010–June
2011, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Technical Control Facility, Operation
New Dawn, 447th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Sather Air
Base, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq)
8. June 2016–September 2019, Superintendent, Cyber
Operations Branch, 265th Combat Communications Squadron, South
Portland Air National Guard Station, Maine (March 2016–August 2019,
Superintendent, Depot Cyber Fielding Team, 577th Software
Maintenance Squadron, South Portland Air National Guard Station, Maine)
9. September 2019–February 2020, Flight Chief,
Plans and Resources, 265th Combat Communications Squadron, South
Portland Air National Guard Station, Maine
10. February 2020–August 2021, Group Superintended,
101st Maintenance Group, Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine
(August 2020–January 2021, Senior Enlisted Leader, Communications Directorate,
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti and Camp
Simba, Kenya)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service
Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with
two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with
five oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal with oak
leaf cluster
Humanitarian Service Medal
STATE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Academic
Achievement Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1998 Top Graduate, Electronics Principles Course
2002 John L. Levitow Award, Airman Leadership School, RAF Feltwell, England
2018
Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Advanced Leadership
Experience, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 Air
National Guard Region 1 Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant Feb.
20, 2020
(Current as
of August 2021)