PORT HUENEME, CA, UNITED STATES
08.08.2020
Story by Staff Sgt. Nicole Wright
146 Airlift Wing, Public Affairs, California Air National Guard

Bell entered Air Force active duty in 1993 and has since worked as a Repographics Specialist in Italy and the NCOIC (non-commissioned officer in charge) of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base honor guard team. In 2007, Bell would join the 146 AW where he worked as the recruiting office supervisor, leading a National Award winning team that broke numerous recruiting records. Later, he was the Chief Enlisted Manager for the Force Support Squadron, and lastly, was selected to be the
Command Chief of the 146 AW in 2018.
During his tenure at the 146 AW, Bell encouraged his enlisted troops to be more vocal in requesting their needs to accomplish their missions more efficiently, advocating for airmen to be more involved with process improvement within their work sections. Bell, who believed deeply in keeping enlisted issues on the enlisted side – felt enlisted personnel should polish themselves internally, so leadership could focus more on accomplishing the missions.
146th Comptroller Flight (CPTF) Superintendent Master Sgt. Ma Riolette Hidalgo, who worked closely with Bell over the years, said his focus was always on the betterment of the working relationships between the airmen serving at the 146 AW.
“Chief Master Sgt. Bell has always held the welfare of each individual airman in high importance. He is instrumental in fostering a stronger working relationship between MPF (Military Personnel Flight) and CPTF, for the benefit of the members of the146 AW.”
Bell, who has dedicated many years of his life serving the airmen at the wing, feels it’s now time to focus more on his family, excited for the opportunity to spend more time with his two young children and his wife, who also is a member of the same wing. However, during his retirement ceremony with tears in his eyes, Bell imparted some caring of his own wisdom to those he cared for the most. His airmen.
“The best memories come from the hardest times. If you find yourself in a hardship, such as a rough deployment or TDY (temporary additional duty) know that it will be over soon and it will make an impression forever in your memory on how you overcame it, and it’ll make for some good stories with your fellow wingmen.”