Robeson native now master sergeant

Jun. 17—BILOXI, Mississippi — Finding himself in a state of complacency is what led a man with Robeson County roots to join the U.S. Air Force on March 3, 2009.

"Throughout my life, I have always aspired to be a part of something bigger than myself that would force me to become more than I thought possible," Perry Sinclair Jr. said.

More than a decade later, the 34-year-old was recently promoted to master sergeant, a move that Sinclair still struggles to believe when self-reflecting.

"I feel like I'm in some kind of surrealistic state after being promoted," Sinclair said.

A master sergeant is the seventh rank in the United States Air Force, ranking above technical sergeant and directly below senior master sergeant. Sinclair's duties will include planning, organizing, and directing flights by security forces during normal and emergency situations.

Years of training and accomplishments have prepared him for the new role. Over the course of his career, he has accumulated 25 awards, including four Commendations, four Achievement medals, and two Noncommissioned Officer of the Year awards.

"While there are a lot of things I plan on bringing to this job that I have achieved through my experiences, I'm most looking forward to being a mentor, someone who inspires someone to help navigate life and career and develop them in order to hopefully replace me one day," Sinclair said.

Currently stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, Sinclair is married to Aramis and they have three children: Israel, Laila and Uriah.

He is the son of Debra Sinclair, of Lumberton, and the late Perry Sinclair Sr.