Long before he earned the title “Chief,” Detrick Thomas was just a kid with a fascination for fighter jets and a dream of becoming a pilot. But what started as a childhood wonder turned into a 26-year journey of leadership, grit, mentorship, and service that would take him across the Air Force and right back to Minot AFB.
Now retired, but far from idle, Chief Master Sergeant (Ret.) Detrick Thomas continues to impact the lives of Airmen, families, and friends in the community he’s proud to call home. This Veterans Day, we celebrate not just his rank, ribbons, or resume but the heart behind the uniform, and the humility that defines a true servant leader.
Detrick Thomas grew up wide-eyed and fascinated by the roar of fighter jets. He dreamed of becoming a pilot or aircraft designer. After an initial detour of missing an ROTC deadline at the University of Nebraska, he pivoted, took the leap, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on July 12, 1995. What started as a practical decision to use education benefits quickly turned into a passion-fueled career.
Thomas’s first assignment was right here at Minot AFB, arriving in December of 1995 to the 91st Maintenance Group. He spent over a decade here before heading to Keesler AFB in Mississippi as an NCO Academy Instructor, a fitting role for a leader who would go on to shape generations of Airmen. In 2012, Minot called him back, and he stayed until he retired in September 2021.
His final role? None other than Chief Enlisted Manager for the 705th Munitions Squadron, overseeing the operations of over 280 personnel responsible for the care and custody of cruise missiles and reentry systems supporting two strategic wings. If that sounds intense it was. But Thomas handled it with the calm of a seasoned pro and the heart of a mentor.
When the uniform came off, the name “Chief” didn’t. Transitioning to civilian life was a bit disorienting for him, especially as he moved directly to Ramstein, Germany as a dependent spouse. “It was weird hearing people call me by my first name, I felt like my name was always Chief or Sergeant.”
Still, he embraced the new chapter, diving into life as a full-time parent, car enthusiast, and wingman to his wife Chief Master Sergeant Becky S. Thomas, who currently serves as the Command Chief Master Sergeant for Air Force Global Strike Command’s 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base. While he’s no longer in uniform fixing missiles, he’s still in the game, mentoring, supporting the base, and staying involved with Minot’s Chief’s Group and Key Support Liaison program.
Thomas doesn’t just talk about “service”, he lives it. He keeps in touch with fellow veterans across the globe, organizing reunions, stopping in to visit former colleagues, and continuing to support the military community.
In 2023, he helped put together a reunion for Airmen stationed at Minot AFB back in the late ’90s and early 2000s. “Some I hadn’t seen in 15 years, but it felt like we had just seen each other last week,” he said. “That bond never goes away.”
For Thomas, Veterans Day isn’t about parades and pats on the back, it’s about reflection and respect.
He thinks about his parents, both long-serving Army veterans, and he honors his great-grandparents who were both WWII vets, and whose strength shaped him, even if their stories weren’t fully told. “I regret not learning more about what they went through,” he said, “but I’m incredibly proud of their service, especially given the challenges of that era.”
He believes this day set aside to honor past military members is special and needed. “It lets us slow down and truly appreciate what our servicemembers and their families have done.”
If there’s one lesson Thomas would pass on to the next generation, it’s this: “Take ownership and put your all in whatever you’re assigned to do in order to put the best product/service out there”. Be the kind of person who would proudly “put their name on the mailbox”, as former CMSAF #5 Bob Gaylor used to say. In other words, stand by your work, because when you take pride in what you do, everyone benefits. “It makes your unit better, your branch stronger, and ultimately, our country stronger.”
Whether he’s under a car hood, in a classroom mentoring young Airmen, or standing quietly at a local Veterans Day ceremony, Chief Thomas shows us that service doesn’t end at retirement, it just shifts gears.
Because while he may not seek the spotlight or call himself a hero, his legacy of service, leadership, and quiet strength speaks for itself, not just here in Minot, but across the Air Force family and beyond.
Thank you for your service, Chief Thomas. Your leadership, humility, and dedication continue to inspire those who follow in your footsteps.
To all veterans, past and present, thank you for your service.
Read the full “Tribute to Service” feature at https://www.nordaknorth.com/newspapers/northernsentry/online-issues/tribute-to-service-2025/
