Master Sergeant Laura A. Ash is currently serving as the Traffic Manager at the Headquarters of the U.S. Air Force, within the Logistics Readiness Division, Directorate of Logistics at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. where she is stepping into retirement after over two decades of service.
In her role, she crafts Air Force-wide policies and provides guidance on matters influencing the training, development, readiness and deployment of 4,631 personnel engaged in both peacetime and contingency operations globally.
Master Sergeant Ash, a native of Blue Ridge, embarked on her Air Force journey in July 2002. After completing Basic Military Training and Traffic Management Technical School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in November 2022, she served in various capacities including Freight Documentation and Packing and Crating Technician with the 436th Aerial Port Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.
Her assignments continued with roles such as Quality Assurance Inspector and Outbound Personal Property with the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. She also served as Passenger Travel Clerk and Outbound Person Property with the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Incirlik Air Force Base, Turkey, and as NCOIC, Personal Property and Passenger Travel at Royal Air Force Base, Fairford in the United Kingdom.
Further assignments included Supplier Support Technician and Shipment Management at the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Section Chief, Personal Property and Passenger Travel at Incirlik Air Base,Turkey. She also served as NCOIC Outbound Cargo and Section Chief Outbound Cargo with the 437th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, from May 2014 until July 2016 and again from December 2017 to July 2018. She then took on the role of Air Transportation Standards and Evaluation Evaluator from July 2018 until October 2018 at the same squadron.
Following this, she served as Section Chief, Personal Property and Passenger Travel from October 2018 until August 2020. Since September 2020, she has been serving as the Traffic Manager at the Air Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Her leadership roles have taken her to bases in the United Kingdom, Turkey and South Carolina, and her deployments include supporting NATO-led European Union Force BiH, Operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. Before her current position, she served as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Personal Property and Passenger Travel at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
Master Sergeant Ash’s impressive list of major decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air and Space Commendation Medal, Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Humanitarian Service Medal and NATO Medal (Balkans).
Starting her Air Force career as an Airman in 2002, Ash was promoted to a Master Sergeant by October 2018.