CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT(RET)
ERLATH W. "NICK" ZUEHL, JR.

CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT ERLATH W. "NICK" ZUEHL, JR., USAF, Retired

Chief Zuehl was born 23 July 1933 in San Antonio, Texas. Being an Air Force brat, he attended numerous schools across the country, graduating from Hampton High School, Hampton, Virginia, in 1952. Prior to enlisting in the United States Air Force on 2 February 1955, he attended college at Texas A&M.

Following basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, he was selected to remain at Lackland and became a Military Training Instructor with the 3705 BMTS, the same Squadron he went through basic training. In January 1958 he cross trained into the Air Operations career field and was assigned to the Lackland Base Operations. May 1960 found him being assigned to the Lackland Flying Safety Office, Office of the Inspector General. It was during this assignment that Chief Zuehl attended his first Professional Military Training Course (PME III), which at that time was called the Noncommissioned Officers Preparatory Training Course, an in-resident course.

When all Lackland flight operations were deactivated in June of 1961, he was reassigned to Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, to serve as the first enlisted member in the Kelly Flying Safety Office.

In May 1964 he was sent to Southeast Asia with duty at Nha Trang Air Base, RVN as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Base Operations. Following his tour of Vietnam, he became the first enlisted member selected for special duty in the Office of the Air Force Representative to the Federal Aviation Administration, Pacific Region, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Upon his return to the CONUS in July 1968, Chief Zuehl became the Wing Scheduler for the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He then left the sunny and warm climate of Florida for a year of cold and windy weather at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland, in August 1969. He was Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Squadron Operations, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, when the largest number of intercepts of Russian aircraft ever occurred, more than 300 in less than six months.

Returning to the CONUS in September 1970, he once again assumed duties as a Wing Scheduler, this time with the 316th Tactical Airlift Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. This was his first return to Langley where as a dependent he had attended and graduated from local schools in Buckroe Beach and Hampton. While stationed at Langley, the Chief attended the in-resident course of the Tactical Air Command Noncommissioned Officer's Academy. January 1975 saw Chief Zuehl return to Hawaii for his second tour of duty there, this time again on a special duty assignment. He was assigned to the staff of the Commander-In-Chief, Pacific Command as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Nuclear Operations. While there, he also was selected to attend the Senior Noncommissioned Officer's Academy.

Following completion of his tour with CINCPAC, he returned to Lackland and the Basic Military Training School as a Military Training Instructor, exactly where he had started his military career more than 23 years earlier. He served in various positions, including Military Training Instructor, 3704 BMTS, Squadron Training Superintendent, 3704 BMTS, Commandant of the Military Training Instructor School and Chief of the Headquarters Military Training Branch. A note of interest, Chief Zuehl was responsible for changing the name of the MTI School from the Instructor Training Branch (ITB), which was its office symbol.

After making Chief, Chief Zuehl made his last move on active duty to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in the summer of 1982. He was assigned to the 355th Tactical Training Wing with original duty as NCOIC of Wing Scheduling. Almost immediately, the Deputy Commander for Operations created a new position for him as the Chief Enlisted Manger to the Deputy Commander for Operations, a position he held until his retirement 1 March 1985.

Chief Zuehl's awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Army Good Conduct Medal with two knots. He was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant on 1 July 1981.

Chief Zuehl has two daughters, two sons, and seven grandchildren, all of whom live in the state of Texas. Upon retiring from the Air Force, he worked for Diamond Shamrock as a Certified Station Manger until going to work for the US Post Office. He left that position after three years and then went to work for a private contractor working as a Field Monitor with the US Army. In 1995 Chief Zuehl completely retired and now plays golf, goes fishing, and just sits back enjoying life.

He was selected as the Vice President of the USAF Military Training Instructor Association in October 2003.