Chief Jansen Velante, Operations Flight Chief at the 5th Communications Squadron, is proof that one mistake or hardship does not have to define a career. Enlisting at age 27, later than many service members, he said becoming a chief was never his primary goal.

“I always did my best, abided by the Air Force Core Values, took care of people so they could take care of the mission, and tried to pay it forward,” Velante said. Through numerous deployments and professional challenges, he ultimately rose to the highest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force.

Velante shared a time in his career when he believed everything might come to a sudden halt. While serving as a Military Training Leader (MTL) in AETC, he said he handled certain situations poorly and came under investigation by his command.

“Being under investigation was very traumatic for me, especially after the career I had up to that point,” he explained. “I had a handful of deployments, BTZ [Below the Zone], a plethora of awards and recognition, involvement in many organizations, and had helped produce a lot of subordinate success. I even had a line number for TSgt at the time. When I received paperwork from the squadron commander, my world felt crushed.”

Unsure how to recover from the setback, Velante said his immediate leadership, MSgt Gulyas and Superintendent SMSgt Kwon, believed in him and gave him opportunities to rebuild his career. Years later, he was able to reconnect with the squadron commander who had issued the disciplinary paperwork and reflect on how the experience shaped him.

“I was already a First Sergeant when we spoke,” he said. “I let her know I understood her hands were tied and that, for good order and discipline, her decision was the right one. As a Shirt, I would have advised her to do exactly the same thing. In the long run, it taught me some important lessons.”

Although Velante spent much of his military career single, he said his family has played a huge role in shaping who he has become in recent years. He spoke proudly of his wife, Jackie, and their daughters, Dacotah (11) and Jaxcen (2).

“It’s ironic that I was a bachelor for the majority of my life and family was one of the furthest things from my mind,” he said. “But Jackie is a saint—she’s put up with four of my nine deployments. She completely shaped my career, even though I was already in my mid-30s when we started dating.”

Velante credits his wife with pushing him to continue striving when he might otherwise have slowed down. “When I didn’t want to study for WAPS [Weighted Airman Promotion System], she pushed me to study. When I wanted to take a break from leading and volunteering, she pushed me to keep going and to join or lead councils. When I said I wasn’t going to get promoted, she said I would. Her unwavering support is directly tied to my career success.”

Velante also shared a meaningful story about his daughter, Dacotah, and how she helped shape his perspective as a leader. When she experienced bullying at school, a boy told her that girls were not physically capable of doing “male jobs.”

At the time, Velante was serving as a First Sergeant for Security Forces at Peterson Space Force Base. He began bringing his daughter to the base so she could meet Airmen and see the work being done.

“I made sure she spoke with our Defenders to show her that gender doesn’t matter—it’s the work someone puts in and the belief they have in themselves that allows them to succeed,” he said. “Our Defenders loved seeing her on post, and it also showed them that leaders understand how important family and support systems are.”

Although becoming a chief was never his ultimate goal, Velante emphasized the significance of the promotion. “This milestone is very important because I want everyone I’ve led—and all the mentors who invested their time in me—to know their efforts helped me get here,” he said.

Velante is quick to point out that his success was never achieved alone. He credits the combined support of his family, mentors, and fellow Airmen for helping him reach this point.

“I’m a product of everyone’s efforts,” he said. “My hope is to continue paying that forward.”

When asked what advice he would give his younger self, or Airmen just starting their journey, Velante offered simple but powerful guidance:
“Trust the process, trust the mentors who push you outside your comfort zone, and above all, take care of people so they can take care of the mission.”