Senior Master Sgt. Henry Dickerson, a teacher in Effingham County, has earned promotion to the highest level of non-commissioned officers, chief master sergeant. Dickerson serves as the chief of safety for Savannah’s Combat Readiness Training Center, an element of the Georgia Air National Guard.

At Effingham County High School, Dickerson serves as an educator for the state of Georgia, teaching career technical education in law and justice, is an assistant coach for the golf team and advises the ECHS chapter of Skills USA.

Militarily, he is responsible for training CRTC managers, supervisors and employees in identifying, evaluating and controlling workplace hazards. His duties also include investigating mishaps that may occur on or off duty, and advising commanders on safety-related matters in order to prevent future mishaps.

Dickerson and his family live in Guyton.

He enlisted in the Georgia Air National Guard on May 24, 1984 as a nondestructive testing inspector for C-130 aircraft and was assigned to the 165th Airlift Wing Maintenance Squadron. While there, he deployed to Panama in support of Operation Coronet Oak, and Germany during the Bosnia Campaign.

In 2006, Dickerson cross-trained into the safety career field and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, with the 165th AW. After 30 years in the 165th, he transferred into the Combat Readiness Training Center, serving in his current capacity.