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Chief Master Sergeant Felicia Lattimore-Williams has announced plans to retire from active-duty service to her country on Dec. 1, stepping out of her uniform after 28 years in the U.S. Air Force.

Williams is a White Hall native and the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. In her role as the advisor to the base commander, she impacts the readiness, training and development of 388 military and civilian personnel.

“I wanted to serve and to have opportunities,” Williams recalled. “But while I served, my first four years in, mentors helped me to see beyond just the benefits of the job. They helped me grow to learn the value of what we do as a military, which is to uphold and defend freedom for American interests across the globe.’

In addition to her advisory duties, Williams oversees supply chain management, refueling and vehicle repair processes in support of two wings, six NATO partnerships and 23 tenants, impacting 7,600 service members.

Williams was deployed many times throughout her career, working in support of Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Inherent Resolve and Freedom Sentinel, gaining a background in leadership through material management on assignments in Japan, the Republic of South Korea, Delaware, Missouri, Virginia and Arizona.

“[Military service] is always a sacrifice, especially during deployment,” Williams said. “It’s definitely a sacrifice for the families who are without their loved ones. [Deployment] can happen at any point, but when it happens, military members gear up and head out. Their family members stay behind and hold down the house, the kids, and do everything that they have to do to keep the family together.

Alongside hands-on experience, Williams said she gained an education through the Air Force, earning an associates of applied science degree in Logistics from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor of Science in business management and a Master of Science in management with a concentration in organizational leadership from Wilmington University Delaware. Her military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with four devices, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three devices, and the Air Force Achievement Medal, two devices.

Williams graduated from Central High School in Hayneville in 1995 and enlisted in the Air Force upon graduation. 

“I joined the Air Force to seek opportunities, to serve, and to help my family,” Williams said. “I basically grew up in the Air Force. It gave me a chance to meet people from all over and it has impacted my value of freedom, my values of self-determination, and of maintaining that freedom.”

She is the daughter of Tanya E. Lattimore-Goldsmith (Sam) and Alex C. Hardy (Thelma) and credits her exemplary military service to her faith in God and the support of her family.

“I respect and honor what women and men do for this country,” Williams explained. “I’m so very fortunate and blessed to have served in the Air Force and it’s been a blessing to me and my family, both here and back home.”

Williams and her husband James have one son, Caleb. The family lives in Glendale, Arizona but is floating plans for relocating to Alabama.

“We’re thinking about returning to Lowndes County, maybe buying property,” Williams said. “We are praying and wanting to make the right move. I would definitely love to come back home and try to help build up Lowndes County and bring opportunities to the community.”