The Missouri Air National Guard’s state command chief master sergeant is being honored in a retirement ceremony in St Joseph Sunday.

Command Chief Master Sgt. William D. Phillips of Savannah is culminating a 40-year career with the Guard. Most of his career, Phillips served full-time in the 139th Airlift Wing here.

Phillips is being honored in a ceremony at the home of the 139th at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, hosted by Maj. Gen. Stephen Danner, Missouri’s adjutant general. The ceremony will be held in the fuel cell hangar at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 3.

Phillips’ military career began at Rosecrans when he enlisted in June 1971. Four years later he was hired full-time as technician and served at the base until his retirement in April 2007, when he was named the Missouri Air Guard’s State Command Chief Master Sergeant.

In a career that eventually took him all over the globe, Phillips served on numerous operations and deployments, including Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Just Cause, Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He served first as a mechanic on the old KC-97 series aircraft before eventually becoming a crew chief on the C-130A when the unit converted to the aircraft. He eventually rose to Production Superintendent of the 139th Aircraft Generation Squadron.

Phillips earned a degree in Aircraft Maintenance Technology from the Community College of the Air Force in 1993 and was selected as the 139th AGS Outstanding senior NCO for 1998. His more than 25 decorations and major awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation and Achievement medals.