Biography of Mark H. Olanoff, Command Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret)
Command CMSgt Mark H. Olanoff enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on September 27, 1967 after graduating from Darby Township High School in Glenolden, Pa. After completion of basic military training (Lackland AFB, TX) and technical training (Amarillo AFB, TX), he was assigned to Osan AB, Korea in 1968 working in the military personnel division. Chief Olanoff served in numerous military personnel assignments at Othello AFS, Washington; RAF Bentwaters, England and Griffiss AFB, NY. He was discharged from the U.S. Air Force on July 30, 1976 and joined the New Jersey Air National Guard in Atlantic City, New Jersey serving in positions of Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), Customer Assistance; NCOIC, Consolidated Base Personnel Office and Chief, Personnel Systems Management. Chief Olanoff transferred to the Air Force Reserve at Dover AFB, Delaware on June 19, 1989 serving as Chief, Personnel Systems Management until Feb 9, 1991. Chief Olanoff assumed the position of Chief, Personnel Systems Management for the 436th Airlift Wing (as a federal civil servant) from Feb 10, 1992 until May 22, 1993.
On April 1, 1992, Chief Olanoff assumed the position as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of the 512th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, DE. In this position, Chief Olanoff served as the Commander’s representative on all enlisted issues. During his tenure in this position, Chief Olanoff was TDY to the Persian Gulf. He served in this position until his retirement from the Air Force Reserve on June 10, 1996.
On April 1, 1996, Chief Olanoff assumed the position of Veterans Service Officer for the State of Delaware assisting Veterans with Veterans’ Affairs (VA) claims and representing the Commission of Veterans’ Affairs at many meetings and functions. He was appointed to the VA Veterans’ Integrated Service Network (VISN) 4 Management Advisory Committee, which includes the areas of Pennsylvania, Delaware, parts of South New Jersey and parts of West Virginia.
Chief Olanoff is currently employed as Transition Assistance Advisor for the Maryland National Guard after retiring as Executive Director, Washington Office, The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA) from October 2004 until December 2005; after previously serving as TREA’s National Legislative Director from December 1996 until March 2002. He then served as The American Legion’s Assistant Legislative Director and Deputy Legislative Director from April 2002 until October 2004. He served as Co-Director of the National Military Veterans Alliance, representing 31 military and veterans’ organizations. He also served as Co-Chair of the Retirement and Veterans Affairs Committees for The Military Coalition (TMC). He also served as a member of the Guard and Reserve Committee of TMC and as a member of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Alexandria, Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Further, he served as Vice Chair of the Government Relations and Public Affairs Council for the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE) and previously served as Chair of the Federal Subcommittee of the council and served on a task for to create GWSAE-PAC. Also served as a member of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Health eVet Steering Committee, which worked on a computerized medical record for veterans’. Also served on TMC’s Awards Committee, Retirement Committee and the American Society for Association Executives Greater Washington Public Policy Committee and chaired ASAE’s 2005 Congressional Breakfast for the Greater Washington Congressional members. Also served on the Board of Directors, Armed Forces Veterans Homes Foundation and USO, Delaware. Currently serving as Co-Chair, Government Affairs Committee for the American Numismatic Association. Chief Olanoff has testified before the Congress, the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission and the Maryland General Assembly on numerous issues that affect all uniformed services (active, guard, reserve, retired), family members, survivors and veterans'.
He holds an Associate in Applied Science from the Community College of the Air Force in Human Resource Management (April 1980) and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Pomona, New Jersey (May 1986). He has completed 9 semester hours at the Graduate level in the Legislative Affairs Program from George Washington University and completed 6 semester hours from American Military University in a Master’s Program majoring in Political Science with concentration in American Government and Politics.
Chief Olanoff is a graduate of the 8th Air Force Leadership School at Barksdale AFB, LA and a distinguished graduate of the Air National Guard NCO Academy at the Professional Military Educational Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Chief Olanoff’s military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one service star, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with one service star, the Korea Defense Medal and the Kuwait Liberation Medal. Chief Olanoff has been awarded the Master Personnel Badge.
Chief Olanoff is a member of numerous military and veterans' service organizations; a VFW Past District Commander from the 16th District (Southern) New Jersey and a JWV Past Post Commander from Post 39 (Southern) New Jersey. He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Air Force Sergeants Association, Non Commissioned Officers Association, The Retired Enlisted Association, Armed Forces Top Enlisted Association, Jewish War Veterans and The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. Also served the Department of Pennsylvania, The American Legion as Vice Chairman (Eastern Section), Legislative Committee and as a staff member of Keystone Boys State.
Chief Olanoff is married to the former Dorothy Venanzi and lives in Reisterstown, Maryland.
