Matthew Walters Email & Phone Number

Honolulu, Hi, Us

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

As a Transportation Security Specialist for Explosives (TSSE) for the Transportation Security Administration, I serve as a subject-matter expert consultant on all issues involving explosives, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats, and coordinate the explosives security program within the local area. When I retired from military service, I imagined a civilian career in which I could contribute to both my local and national community—but I knew that ideal might not be achievable. I’m ecstatic that I’ve found that dream job with TSA, where I can serve my city, utilize the range of specialized skills I’ve amassed over the years, and support the safety of millions of national and international travelers as they visit our beautiful state.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, United States

This spring, I was fortunate to land a competitive internship with the Work-Family Life Program at the Military & Family Support Center (MFSC) here at Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In this role, I supported 54,000 active and retired military members and their families by evaluating existing program capabilities against DoD certification standards, identifying and recommending areas for improvement and timelines to achieve them, and engaging stakeholders at every level of the organization by ensuring that the resources and courses the MFSC offers were accessible in multiple formats, including online. As a prior Air Force First Sergeant—the military equivalent of an HR Manager— with a passion for supporting the military community, this position was the ideal stepping-off point for my transition into the civilian workforce. In addition to the above program-level duties, I had the invaluable opportunity to impact the lives of individual military members by teaching courses in deployment readiness, emergency preparedness, and even parenting, and I even co-authored a new curriculum to expand members’ access to and understanding of the SkillBridge internship process. For those who are interested, the SkillBridge program matches highly skilled military members who are nearing their date of separation or retirement with civilian companies that can provide advanced on-the-job training and facilitate members’ transition into the civilian workforce.

Springfield, Virginia, United States

My final active-duty position was as a First Sergeant at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Virginia. In that role, I served as the primary advisor to the program director and other executive leadership concerning the personal and professional development of 650 joint-service personnel. I met with and mentored military members of all ranks, fielded personnel issues, represented individuals and teams at executive meetings, and guided the company’s morale, recognition, and discipline initiatives. Given that this was my second time serving as a First Sergeant, I fully understood the critical link I was responsible for forging between senior leadership and their personnel. I knew that my handling of a situation could impact an individual’s experience, career, and even mental health, and I took that responsibility seriously. When our in-person interactions were necessarily limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, I maintained morale by hosting weekly virtual coffee talks and podcasts, conducted culture and climate surveys of the various units under my supervision, and kept supervisors at all levels engaged in the problem-solving process to improve employee-employer relationships in spite of the physical distancing we were experiencing.

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, United States

As the First Sergeant for an Aircraft Maintenance Squadron of over 400 personnel, I dedicated my time to implementing and reinvigorating programs that supported every facet of the unit’s morale. I supervised the Drug Demand Reduction program and the Key Spouse (Family Liaison) program, assisted the Booster Club with fundraising for and coordinating morale events, championed an enlisted mentorship program that saw immediate, positive results, and set the standard for the installation’s approach to acceptance and inclusivity. While the majority of my duties involved surveying and improving company morale—both proactive tasks—the reality is that a military First Sergeant can also be the last line of defense for members’ mental health. The most challenging, and ultimately most rewarding, aspect of my time as a First Sergeant was my role in counseling and helping military personnel who struggled with depression and suicidal ideations. I was a sounding board when someone needed to talk, company when they were afraid to go to the hospital or a rehabilitation center for care, and a friend who would follow up again and again to make sure they were not just surviving, but thriving. I made a point of destigmatizing mental health care through my words and actions, and I appreciated that so many Airmen were willing to reach out to me when they needed help. For this reason—this ability to be present and accessible to the military personnel who most needed it—I was thrilled when I was offered the chance to continue serving as a First Sergeant at my next duty station.

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, United States

While my experience in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) had prepared me to lead teams through high-risk scenarios, my appointment to the Program Manager position for the unit’s administrative office provided an entirely new leadership challenge: understanding the numerous career fields in our squadron and the processes that governed them. For the first time, the scope of my responsibilities extended to the macro, operational level, providing me with insight that had been previously inaccessible to me in my career. My favorite part of this position, by far, was the incredible team I served with: the Airmen I supervised excelled at the quality control, audits, and inspections they were tasked with, and they were eager to pursue the process improvements and objectives I outlined; the commander, likewise, made time for each member of his staff, mentoring and advising me on learning opportunities that would further both my formal education and my military career. Together, our team functioned seamlessly, and our unit won the Civil Engineer Squadron Large Squadron of the Year Award twice during my tenure. When, after a year, my supervisor recommended that I apply for First Sergeant duty, I was honored. I had established myself as the go-to resource for squadron administration, and I knew that I had even more to offer the military. I authored a thorough continuity guide for my successor, ensured my staff was fully trained on requisite programs, and set off for what would ultimately be the most rewarding stage of my military career.

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, United States

As the Project Manager for EOD Operations and Logistics, I led teams of EOD specialists in local range clearance operations and counter-IED missions supporting the United States Secret Service, advised the installation’s inspection team on weak points in their security strategy, and coordinated interagency training events with local and federal law enforcement agencies. Our team had an inspiring ability to make even tedious work fun, and our commitment to training and preparation was recognized repeatedly, both at our installation and throughout our career field. This was my first leadership position as an active-duty Airman, and I initially felt behind the curve compared to my fellow Senior Noncommissioned Officers. One of the incredible benefits of the military, though, is that every member has the opportunity to write their own career, and no two careers are the same. I knew that, even though I might have taken a circuitous route to this position—serving in the Reserves and holding a staff position first, when those often come later in a career—my trajectory as a leader depended solely on my own dedication. I was extremely thankful to have such a strong team supporting my leadership development during this time, and I quickly overcame my nervousness and sought greater responsibility.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

While serving in the Reserves, I was given the unique opportunity to work as an EOD strategist for the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). In this role, I assessed career field manning across the command, identified and corrected discrepancies in manning documents, reallocated positions to meet changing DoD requirements, and followed up to ensure the successful redistribution of assets and accomplishment of mission objectives. At several points, my team and I were recognized for our contributions to PACAF: we developed ways to cover gaps in members’ pay during budget sequestration, spearheaded the creation of a joint-service database for mission planning, and reestablished Air Force EOD’s involvement in providing humanitarian training to our allies. The variability of my tasks and the opportunities for growth in this position far exceeded my expectations and inspired my degree in strategic leadership and my official transfer to active duty.

In 2010, I was given the chance to begin supervising my own team, and I loved overseeing and encouraging my troops’ development as individuals and as a unit. I quickly pursued additional leadership roles, volunteering to fill in as the lead Active Guard Reservist—a position in which I oversaw the other reservists—and as the flight chief during a deployed exercise to Jordan. During this time, I also pursued a civilian career as a contractor working with unexploded ordnance (UXO). I valued the opportunity to develop skills in each position that benefitted my performance in the other, and learned to manage my time effectively so that I could excel in both positions despite their competing commitments.

In 2006, I left my position as an Aircraft Armament Mechanic to retrain as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist in the Air Force Reserves. From the moment I started the technical training course, I knew I had made the right choice: the varied day-to-day missions, opportunities to travel and support the United States Secret Service, and direct service to the local community through civilian support calls were exactly what I was looking for. After technical school, I was incredibly lucky to be stationed at a combined active/reserve EOD unit, which not only afforded me greater training opportunities, but also provided the invaluable camaraderie that inspired and elevated my growth as a team member and leader.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Strategic Leadership

Associate Of Science - As, Human Resources

Associate Of Science - As, Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Associates Degree; Associates Degree, Applied Science; Aircraft Armament Technology