08/07/2025
Meet the Pride: Chief Master Sgt. Theresa Fitzpatrick, 363d ISR Wing Command
Chief Master Sgt. Theresa Fitzpatrick is the 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing Command Chief. As Command Chief, she serves as the personal advisor to the commander on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, professional growth, training, and quality of life of more than 2,500 Total Force military, civilian and contractor personnel executing operations at locations across the world. The core missions of the wing include analysis for air, space, and cyber operations; full spectrum targeting, and airborne ISR for sensitive joint special operations globally. Prior to her current position, Chief Fitzpatrick was the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 1st Special Operations Wing, Detachment 1, Hurlburt Field, FL.
During the interview, we got to learn about how the Chief leads with “H.E.A.R.T.”, how she learned to deal with mistakes early on in her career, and what the stripes she wears represent to her.
Q: Where did you grow up and where is home?
A: Normally, I would just say Albany, Georgia, because it is a little more well known, but I grew up in Putney, Georgia, a smaller unincorporated town close to Albany. One of those one light towns.
Before I joined, I moved to Leesburg, and went to Lee County High School where I graduated from in 2002.
Q: Are you married? Do you have kids?
A: Married to Bertrand Fitzpatrick, a retired master sergeant, TACP, with three kids, Merrick (17), Reece (14), and Cadee (13).
Q: Why did you decide to join the Air Force?
A: I knew early on that I wanted to join the Air Force. My grandfather retired as a master sergeant and created a cooling system for the brakes on the B-52 using the old IDEA program. Although, I didn’t fully appreciate this until after I joined.
I was drawn to the structure and organization and, similar to others who joined, was in looking for education assistance so I could attend college. Then, 9/11 happened when I was a senior in high school - solidifying my commitment to serving and really shaping the entirety of my career.
Q: What has been your best/favorite assignment and why?
A: I have deployed six times now and have enjoyed them all for a variety of reasons. That said, I think my first two deployments were my favorite because I really felt like I was making a difference and grew so much as an Airman, an analyst, and as a person.
The first being my deployment with the 33d Rescue Squadron to Afghanistan conducting Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions and the second with Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq. Each unique, but incredibly impactful because of the friends and mentors I had during that period that pushed and challenged me. Shout out to Col. (ret.) Abraham Salomon, Capt. Ivan Perry, Staff Sgt. Brandon Wallace, and Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Heather Wells and so many more.
Q: Your LinkedIn says you lead with H.E.A.R.T. Tell me about this – where did this come from?
A: It started from a discussion led by former Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Roger Towberman when I attended the Chief Leadership Course. He talked about leading with heart, which can be translated into so many things, but I wanted to define what it meant for me. I landed on an acronym of characteristics that I believe define “leading with heart.” Honesty, Empathy or Emotional Intelligence, Accountability, Respect, Transparency. These characteristics are key to building trust and ensuring members feel valued and part of a team. It takes courage to lead with H.E.A.R.T. and it also requires love, it requires you to love your Airmen as if they were your own. Sun Tzu says, “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys, look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.”
Q: What is something in your career – that you are proud about?
A: I am so very proud of my time as a Deputy Career Field Manager. Our team broke glass and made significant changes for the betterment of the community. I could not be more proud of the work we accomplished together. Shoutout to
Q: Can you tell us about a time you had to be resilient in your career?
A: To be honest, there are likely more times that I have had to be resilient than not, but I will share a couple with you. Early in my career I made a lot of mistakes. As a young Airman with newfound freedom, I found myself in Correctional Custody for underage drinking in tech school. This delayed my graduation, affected my clearance, impacted my upgrade training and almost impacted my promotion to staff sergeant. Needless to say, my first 3 to 4 years in the service were a rollercoaster.
Regardless of the situation, I was determined to not let this misstep define me, so I recommitted myself to the Air Force values, focused on whatever task was given to me, and pressed full steam ahead. During that time, I made ID cards at the MPF and became a member of the Honor Guard. I then PCS’d to Kadena AB with no clearance where some incredible leaders took me under their wings and ensured I received my upgrade and fixed my clearance all in time for my first two deployments I mentioned earlier. Shoutout to (then) Staff Sgt. Mia Boss for training me via unclassified briefings until I got my clearance squared away. Boss and many of the people I mentioned earlier set the foundation for who I am as an Airman and leader today.
The second, most challenging period of my life requiring resilience comes in the form of personal tragedy. Losing both my parents within two months of one another while I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2016 was devastating. The grief and depression that followed shook me to my core. I struggled to regain my footing and questioned if I could keep moving forward. And, as if the emotional exhaustion weren’t enough, my body began to betray me too, leaving me with invisible illnesses. Burnout became a constant companion, convincing me I was failing. There were days that I couldn’t see a way forward, but resilience isn’t about perfection, it is about persistence. It is about finding a reason to try again, even when the odds feel stacked against you. It means asking for help, knowing you can’t shoulder everything alone and prioritizing your health, seeking treatment, and making room for moments of grace.
Q: What drives you each day?
A: My love for our Air Force and its Airmen. I love what I do, and I can’t imagine a day when I don’t wake up and put on the uniform, though I know that day is closer now than it has ever been.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: My hobbies center around my kids’ activities - baseball, softball, JROTC, band, running, biking, hiking, kayaking.
Q: What’s some advice you have received – that you wish you had when you were a younger Airman?
A: Thinking back, this isn’t necessarily advice I received, but the advice I will give. Seek out a mentor or multiple mentors with diverse perspectives. Supervisors are predetermined for you and may be a perfect fit as a mentor, but you choose your mentor. Seek out mentors who are role models, share similar values, leadership qualities, and goals you aspire to achieve. You also want someone who will challenge and push you to be your best. This is something I learned way too late in my career.
Q: What do you want the Airmen from the 363d ISR Wing to know about you?
A: I want to talk about these stripes, the stripes on my chest, what they represent and mean to me. These stripes come with a level of expectation and rightfully so, but oftentimes we see someone with these stripes, and we don’t necessarily consider the journey it took to get there, especially within the context of our own paths. Our paths are marked by more than just rank and recognition. Each stripe, rocker, and chevron carries with it a story of perseverance, growth, and sacrifice.
The imagery of the rank insignia is a powerful metaphor for the climb to success and the journey through life’s challenges. The rockers form the foundation, creating valleys and peaks as they curve upward, noting the challenges and increased responsibility along the way, with the chevrons creating the summit, completing a harmonious symbol. This represents not just a personal achievement, but the culmination of a journey dedicated to the service of others. At the summit, the leader looks back on the path taken - every peak, every valley, and carries, the responsibility of paving the way for others to follow. Although there is no magic imbued in these stripes and we gain no additional knowledge, myself included, we do bear the responsibility of representing the enlisted force and all those in our charge. That’s what I want the Airmen of the 363d to know and remember when they see me. That I come with my own storied path of successes, challenges, and failures, lessons gathered from peers, mentors, friends, and family that have molded me into the imperfect leader that I am today. I will lead them with compassion and humility, lifting them up as so many others have done for me.
(This article is part of the "363d ISR Wing Meet the Pride" series. The purpose is to interview group/squadron commanders and senior leaders to learn more about them and highlight who they are to the Wing.) Chief Master Sgt. Theresa Fitzpatrick is the 363d Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissa...
