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Arkansas native retires as Air Force's first ‘Chief Recruiter’

  • Published
  • By Joe Gangemi
  • Air Force Accessions Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  

Chief Master Sgt. Frank Rawls, the United States Air Force’s highest-ranking recruiter and first “Chief Recruiter,” will retire on March 1, 2026, after a 30-year career.  

The son of Bill Rawls of Crossett and Peggy Kelley of Heber Springs, Ark. Rawls entered the Air Force in April 1996 after graduating from Crossett High School in Arkansas. He began his career as a helicopter crew chief at Kirtland Air Force Base, N. M..

With a career in recruiting that began in 2001, Chief Master Sgt. Frank Rawls' assignments have included enlisted recruiting in Jackson, Miss.; physician recruiting in Little Rock, Ark.; health professions flight chief in Denver, Colo.; senior headquarters positions in Harrisburg, Pa., and San Antonio, Texas; deployments as a senior enlisted leader in Djibouti and Kenya; and leading an Air Force reoptimization effort in Chile in 2023.

Retired Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, former Air Force Recruiting Service commander, reflected on Rawls’ impact.

“One of the hardest decisions I had to make as the AFRS commander was choosing the chief who would fill our newly designated ‘Chief Recruiter’ position [in 2023], the most senior enlisted recruiter position in the Air Force,” Thomas said. “Rawls was absolutely the right guy. His mild-mannered Arkansas charm may cause some to let their defenses down, but make no mistake, his intellect and drive is second to none. We would never have done as well tackling and overcoming our recruiting challenges without him. He's a gem.”

Along with a Master of Business Administration from Liberty University, Rawls earned Distinguished Graduate honors at each level of Professional Military Education. He attended Airman Leadership School, Noncommissioned Officer Academy and Senior NCO Academy reflecting consistent academic excellence across his career.

Rawls’ decorations include the Legion of Merit, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. He has received numerous recruiting and leadership honors such as the John L. Levitow Award, Master Recruiter designation, multiple SNCO of the Year awards and Production Superintendent of the Year.

In April, Rawls returned to the “Natural State” and spoke to hundreds of high school seniors at the Central Arkansas, “Our Community Salutes,” ceremony held at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock.

"Just a kid from Crossett, Ark.," said Rawls, reflecting on his time overseeing Air Force and Space Force global recruiting operations for officers and enlisted personnel. "If the military can do that for me, imagine the possibilities that it can do for you."

A signature achievement of his recruiting career was guiding the recovery from the Air Force missing its Total Force (Regular, Reserve and Guard) enlisted recruiting goal in 2023 to exceeding its mission with 42,837 new Airmen and Guardians in 2024, and 48,159 recruits in 2025. He has also cultivated the largest Delayed Entry Program pool in Air Force history — 21,000 future Airmen currently awaiting Basic Military Training — an outcome tied to his emphasis on community outreach, deliberate training and institutionalization of best practices.

His wife of 28 years, the former Janna Bradley of Rapid City, S.D., is also a decorated Air Force veteran. As he prepares to retire, the family legacy continues with both sons, Staff Sgt. Frank “Wesley” Rawls and Airman 1st Class Billy Rawls, currently serving in the Air Force as aviators.

AFRS will enter the post-Rawls era with institutionalized processes and a strengthened culture of mentorship that reflects the small-town Arkansas values that shaped his steady, unassuming leadership from over three decades of service.

To explore full and part-time opportunities within the Air Force and Space Force, visit www.AirForce.com or www.SpaceForce.com. To speak with a recruiter near you, click here.