TAMPA, Fla. — As a female in senior leadership, retiring Chief Master Sergeant Shae Gee reflects on her 30 years of service to the U.S. and the Tampa area.
On Thursday morning, Gee officially retired from the U.S. Air Force after 30 years of service to the day. She served as the command chief master sergeant for the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base – the top enlisted leader for the command.
Prior to her retirement, Gee spoke with 10 Tampa Bay about responsibilities as an airman, woman and a top leader in the U.S. Air Force.
“I’m an airman first, I just happen to be a woman,” Gee said.
That is a responsibility on its own. As a woman, she admits that she had to work harder.
30 years ago, the military was not what it is now as it concerns women. Gee agreed.
“As I’ve gone through the ranks as a chief, I’ve been at multiple bases where I was the only female chief,” she said. “You have to work a little harder, just to know that you have a seat at the table.”
The U.S. Air Force has the most active-duty female members. Females make up roughly 21 percent of the U.S. Air Force according to a report from the Department of Defense.
That percentage drops significantly as women hit 20 years of service in which they would be positioned in leadership roles.
“I spent a majority of my young career in the dining facility cooking and baking," Gee explained. "As so for my airmen to see that, who do that job now is important. Very few [women] in our career field have made it to this point."
The point at which she leads comes with pressure. According to Gee, there’s a lot of responsibility that goes on no matter who sits in this seat taking care of the airmen.
As the command chief master sergeant, Gee was responsible for the security and well-being of almost 20,000 employees on MacDill AFB and their families. She served in that role in January 2021.
She describes her job as “chief people officer” as she deals with every kind of relationship, personnel factors, human resources and briefs Wing Commander Colonel Adam Bingham daily. She also provides feedback to make sure they’re making the best decisions for the team.
Gee says it's a job that is all about relationships and admits it wasn’t something that she felt she especially excelled at naturally but learned from those before her and beside her.
In turn, she works to prepare airmen for the future.
Much of Gee’s career was while the country was at war.
“Some of our airmen have not had to deal with the repercussions of war,” she said. "And so, it’s really trying to help them understand this is what we went through, this is why we’re here.
“We’ve got to really do a good job of sharing what could happen, so they mentally prepare themselves.”
With deployments, almost 20 assignments, moves and her family, Gee reflects on the day she got to San Antonio for basic training.
“We got to the squadron and we’re picking our bags up and putting them down, picking them up and putting them down with the instructors," She explained. "And then I just cried myself to sleep that night, thinking you know, I’m ready to go home.
“Who knew 30 years later, I would be on the other side of this thing? I feel like I’m graduating from high school all over again.”
As she transitions into retirement with her husband in Tampa, she’s looking forward to leaving behind 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls.
She leaves airmen and those considering this as a career with some words of wisdom.
“Be you. Be true to yourself," she said. "Bring your experiences and grow others behind you.”