Chief Nick Walker-Potts is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Cadet Wing at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is the principle enlisted advisor to the Commandant on training, education, standards and personnel matters for a 4,400-personnel Cadet Wing and 236 total force permanent party members. He also provides mentorship to cadets, four group commanders, 40 squadron commanders, and 102 respective senior enlisted leaders and staff in their mission to build and inspire the next generation of warfighters prepared to lead with character for our U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.

Chief Walker-Potts has spent his Air Force career serving in Special Operations, Combat Search and Rescue, and Fire Protection. His background includes Senior Enlisted Leader assignments at the Detachment, Squadron, Group, Taskforce, Major Command, and multiple humanitarian operations, as well as joint and multi-national combat operations in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and others. During his most recent deployment in 2024, he was the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) of Joint Special Operations Task Force Indo-Pacific. Prior to assuming his current assignment, CMSgt Walker-Potts was the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Headquarters Senior Enlisted Leader, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

USAF Pre-Command Team Training, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (2025)

Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance Training, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2025)

SOF Sensitive Activities Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. (2025)

Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2025)

USSOCOM Summit Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. (2024)

USAF Strategic Leader Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (2023)

Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. (2023)

Building Partner Aviation Capacity Seminar, USAF Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2023)

USAF Chief Leadership Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (2022)

Small Unmanned Aviation Systems (sUAS) Operator Course, 371 SOCTS, Det 1, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2022)

Joint Special Operations Forces Pre-Command Course, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. (2022)

Negotiations for Special Operations Forces, USAF Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2021)

Executive Leadership Course: People, Teams and Organization Seminar, Columbia Business School, N.Y. (2021)

Dynamics in International Terrorism Course, USAF Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2021)

Combat Aviation Advisor Mission Qualification Course, 492nd Special Operations Training Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2021)

Bachelor of Science Degree, Strategic Leadership, Excelsior College, Albany, N.Y. (2021)

Anti-Terrorism Level II, USAF Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (2021)

Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy, Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Fla. (2020)

Associate’s degree, Instructor of Technology and Military Science, Community College of the Air Force. (2020)

USSOCOM Enterprise Management, Joint Special Operations University, by correspondence. (2018)

USAF Weapons School Superintendent Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. (2017)

Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I & II, Joint Forces Staff College, Wash. by correspondence. (2017)

Professional Managers Certification, Community College of the Air Force. (2017)

Associate's degree in Applied Science, Fire Science and Aviation Operations, Community College of the Air Force. (2015)

USSOCOM Joint Fundamentals, Joint Special Operations University, by correspondence. (2014)

Honor Graduate, Mi-17 Crewmember Course, C Company, 1-223rd Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, Ala. (2014)

Personnel Recovery Planning, Joint Personnel Recovery Education & Training Center (2013)

Air Advisor Academy, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (2013)

Distinguished Graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (2012)

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (2006)

Distinguished Graduate, Airman Leadership School, Peterson AFB, Colo. (2005)

Honor Graduate, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (2001)

Command Chief, U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. (September 2025 – Present)

Headquarters Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (July 2024 – August 2025)

Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Joint Special Operations Task Force – Indo-Pacific. (November 2023 – June 2024)

Senior Enlisted Leader, Air Commando Development Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (June 2023 – November 2023)

Interim Group Superintendent, 492nd Special Operations Training Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (May 2022 – June 2023)

Chief Enlisted Manager, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (May 2022 – June 2023)

Senior Enlisted Leader, 492nd Special Operations Training Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (August 2020 – May 2022)

Senior Enlisted Leader, 512th Rescue Squadron, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M. (July 2019 – August 2020)

Senior Enlisted Leader, 58th Training Squadron, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M. (July 2018 – July 2019)

Flight Chief/ Operations Superintendent, Various H-60 Squadrons, Nellis AFB, Nev. (July 2015 – July 2018)

Flight Chief, HH-60G Special Missions Aviator, 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. (December 2014 – July 2015)

Senior Enlisted Advisor, Mi-17 Flight Engineer, Kabul, Afghanistan. (December 2013 – December 2014)

HH-60G Flight Engineer, 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. (August 2010 – December 2013)

Student, Formal Training, Various Locations. (July 2007 – August 2010)

Fire Protection, 21st Civil Engineering Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo. (February 2001 – July 2009)

Lieutenant General Paul G. Cerjan Distinguished Writing Award, Joint Forces Staff College (2023)

Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 58th Special Operations Wing (2020)

AETC Master Instructor Badge, 58th Special Operations Wing (2019)

SNCO of the Year, 66th Rescue Squadron (2017)

Henry “Red” Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Nominee, Air Combat Command (2017)

SNCO of the Year, 563rd Rescue Group (2016)

Henry “Red” Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Nominee, Air Combat Command (2016)

Distinguished Graduate, Enlisted Aircrew Undergraduate Course (2010)

NCO of the Year, 14th Air Force (2009)

Firefighter of the Year, Peterson AFB Fire Department (2009)