Air Force NCOs honor Wilkes' Chan Drake at USAF NCO academy

In 1978, after 18 years of officerleadership in the United States Air Force, Chief Master Sgt. Chan Drake became the youngest and first enlisted commandant of the Air Force Non-Commissioned OfficersAcademy.

On May 20 of this year, Drake received a distinct honor during ceremonies signaling the closing of the Robins Non-Commissioned OfficersAcademy after 50 years of service.

The Robins Academy was founded at McClellan Air Force Base, Calif., in 1957, then moved to Warner Robins, Georgia, a year later. The institution is being inactivated because of Air Force budget constraints, manpower reductions and overall realignment.

During the ceremony marking the closing of the Academy, the flagwas lowered and folded for the last time, signaling the closure of a 50-year landmark at Robins Air Force.

Four former enlisted commandants participated in the final retreat ceremony, each receiving the folded flagin turn until it reached Drake. At this point, Drake's wife Phyllis was called up and presented the flagwhich as a personal memento was given to her husband as the first enlisted commandant. The gesture was both a surprise and honor for both.

Chan and Phyllis are both natives of Wilkes County and have made their home in here since his retirement from the Air Force.

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