Guts, Grace & Glamour: Meet Ellsworth's New Command Chief

Guts, Grace & Glamour: Meet Ellsworth's New Command Chief

by Molly Barari

Hashtag slay. That’s Chief Master Sgt. Rochelle Hemingway’s mantra for the current chapter of her life as the new command chief responsible for the health, welfare and morale of Ellsworth Air Force Base’s (EAFB) 3,200 enlisted airmen. She has guts, she has grace, and she has plenty of glamour, too.

Hemingway, 46, brings 28 years of service to EAFB, where she started in March. Originally from Indiana, Hemingway moved to the Black Hills from Arizona, where she lived with her husband, Dominic—who has served in the Air Force for 30 years—and her 9-year-old son, Andrew. They will join her at EAFB this fall, but until then, she’s treating it like a deployment. For Hemingway, now is the time to settle into her new role. She is only the second female to serve as a command chief at EAFB. “I’m still pinching myself that I was selected for this honor.”

“My primary job is to provide sound counsel andadvice on the health and welfare of our airmen,”she explained. “Throughout my career, I’vealways created mantras to get me through, and#slay is what I plan to do at Ellsworth.”

This mantra has depth, as each letter stands fora principle that Hemingway will focus on duringher time at EAFB.

Photo by Amber Heredia of Lasting Memories Studio

#SLAY

“S” stands for “state of readiness,” as airmen must be ready to deploy at any time. They must also be resilient, maintain a warrior mindset, and uphold training requirements.

“L” stands for “leading out loud.” Hemingway served as a medical technician throughout her years in the Air Force, being deployed to Africa, Curacao, Jamaica and Vietnam on humanitarianmissions, which tested her leadership skills. She practices transformational leadership,modeling the behavior that she expects from her airmen, with the hope of motivating andinspiring them.

“A” stands for “a sense of community.” “We’re a family here,” said Hemingway, “and my goal is to make everyone feel welcome and valued. It’s about sharing our stories and making thosepersonal connections.”

Last, but not least, “Y” stands for “you are built to last.” “We are here to protect our nation,which means we must always give our maximum effort,” she said. “We take an oath ofenlistment, and my job is to help everyone stick to it.”

Chief Master Sergeant Rochelle Hemingway with her husband, Chief Master Sergeant Dominic Hemingway and son Andrew

For Hemingway, leadership also means helping her fellow airmen work through grief. When she served as a first sergeant, her squadron experienced the death of a fellow airman in Afghanistan, and two others were seriously injured. “I took on the business of coordinating a dignified transfer so people could pay their respects and properly grieve,” she said. “In those situations, you find out who you are as a person—and I was a pillar of strength.”

Hemingway said she always thanks newly enlisted soldiers for deciding to serve. “Sometimes people don’t realize we will die for our country. What could be more honorable than that? I do everything I can to help nurture that commitment and desire to serve among the airmen.”

Chief Master Sergeant Rochelle Hemingway with her husband, Chief Master Sergeant Dominic Hemingway

When she’s not working, Hemingway sticks to a routine that helps ground her. She rises at 4 a.m. each day to run and lift weights. “If I don’t work out, I’m not the best version of myself,” she said. She packs healthy food—think fruits and vegetables—to eat throughout the day at work. In the evenings, she enjoys reading—especially books on leadership. Her guilty pleasures? Shopping at Macy’s and Nordstrom and getting manicures.

Above all, Hemingway enjoys connecting with others and helping them become the best they can be, personally and professionally. What is her advice for females thinking about entering the male-dominated military world? “You must work really hard. Nothing is given to you, so you must create good habits and know your job; you should always be progressing, not digressing. Also, take your time. It’s fine if you decide to wait to have a family. Build yourself up and invest in yourself first.”

“I believe there are seasons in life,” she said. “You’ll have a time where you’re accelerating, then plateau and dip down. That’s okay. Your season will come again.” BHW