AB student to CMSgt SEL: Wesley Brooker’s 314th TRS journey

Published Feb. 4, 2023
By Staff Sgt. Abbey Rieves
17th Training Wing Public Affairs

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. --

Twelve-year-old Wesley tightly grips his note cards.

The dark-haired boy stands up and makes his way to the front of his sixth-grade graduation.

Wesley tells his class how he dreams of serving. How he looks up to his uncle, who served two tours in Vietnam, his father who served as a Marine, and his two older brothers who were in the Army National Guard.

AB student to CMSgt SEL: Wesley Brooker’s 314th TRS journey

U.S. Air Force Airman Wesley Brooker (right) is a student at the 311th Training Squadron, at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Presidio of Monterey, California, in 1999. (Courtesy photo)

A few years later in 1999, Wesley Brooker became Airman Basic Brooker, and began his Airborne Arabic language analyst journey.

Along his journey, the 314th Training Squadron senior enlisted leader deployed over 15 times across seven countries.

“Be flexible and step outside of your comfort zone,” offered the Alabama native. “You never know what opportunities will be out there for you to take advantage of.”

Paving the road for a joint warfighting domain, Brooker was one of the first Air Force linguists to train and operate with the U.S. Navy SEALS. After undergoing a 10-week joint training course, Brooker deployed with the SEALS as an interpreter.

AB student to CMSgt SEL: Wesley Brooker’s 314th TRS journey

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Wesley Brooker, 314th Training Squadron senior enlisted leader, poses for a photo. (Courtesy Photo)

Brooker achieved the highest enlisted rank of chief master sgt. after 24 years in service.

Now selected as the highest enlisted rank, Brooker recalls the beginning of his career at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

“I had no idea what I was getting into,” said Brooker. “I was not prepared for the intensity of the Arabic language program. My study habits were not the best, but I put my head down and focused.”

Brooker passes his lessons learned on to the next generation of warfighters, as he enters his new rank and transitions into the senior enlisted leader at the 311th Training Squadron, where he first started his career.

“I have learned from good leaders and what not to do from bad leaders,” said Brooker. “Taking care of our people is the number one thing I have learned throughout the years.”

“You have to get to know your people, be a visible leader,” he continued. “Show them why they are such an important piece to our Air Force. We inspire the next generation of leaders.”

AB student to CMSgt SEL: Wesley Brooker’s 314th TRS journey

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Wesley Brooker, 314th Training Squadron senior enlisted leader, and his family. (Courtesy Photo)