Meet the commander: Col. Scott Crogg

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Solomon Cook
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
There are significant dates in history where everyone remembers what they were doing: the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and most recently the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For a pilot at the Ellington Texas Air National Guard Base, one such event resulted in what never could have been anticipated, he was called upon to come to America's aid.

Col. Scott Crogg, 44th Fighter Group Detachment 2 commander was the 111th Fighter Squadron Director of Operations when the first airliner hit the World Trade Center.

"When the second airliner hit the World Trade Center, it was obviously no accident," Crogg said. "I went to work and ordered live weapons put on the airplanes. The scramble claxon went off, and my two aircraft were directed to meet Air Force One over Barksdale Air Force Base, La. As we held over Louisiana, I remember how bizarre it felt to be in a defensive posture over my own country, and that all other aircrafts were grounded. Air Force One landed at Barksdale to get fuel. When they took off, we joined a few miles behind them, but still had no idea where they intended to go."

After escorting Air Force One to Offutt AFB, Neb. and Joint Andrews AFB, Md. the final portion of the mission took him to the nation's Capital. During these escort missions, he piloted the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

"We landed in DC right at sunset, sending one F-16 ten miles ahead and two of them ten miles behind," Crogg said. "Two F-16s from the DC guard joined onto Air Force One's wings as we approached. We sat in our jets and watched while the president disembarked from Air Force One and boarded Marine One for Camp David. We had no luggage or extra clothes of any sort, but got a cab to a local hotel to spend the night. As we walked into the hotel lobby, our president was giving the inspiring, and much needed, Address to the Nation. It was rewarding to know we helped deliver him."

This and everything happening in his career before and after molded him into the leader he is today.

To show patriotism for his country, Crogg attended the Air Force Academy from 1985 to 1989. Wanting to keep with the family tradition in the medical field, the Seattle native also joined the Air Force to find a way to pay for medical school. But, the Air Force had other plans for him.

After graduating, he attended pilot training school at Williams AFB, Ariz., where he earned distinguished graduate.

Throughout his career, he learned the necessary factors of being an effective commander such as having the right people for the job.

"Who and how you hire people is the most important thing you can do as a commander," Crogg said. "If you have a choice of who you can hire and you don't take the time to get the best people, then you are missing the best opportunity that you have to make a great organization."

Being a reservist gave him the opportunity to spend time as a commercial airline pilot, aiding in his ability to look at things from different perspectives.

"When Airmen bring me ideas for how we should do things differently around here, I tell them to explain to me how it's good for the unit," Crogg said. "If they have a long pause before they explain then they haven't thought about how it's an improvement for the unit, they have thought about how it's good for them. If you can sell me on anything that's a benefit for the unit there is a good chance we will use it."

Having an outlook of an optimist, he sees the good of those under his command.

"I really believe people want to do well, so you need to have a sustainable culture for success," Crogg said. "It's something that needs to be constant. I need to show them the good and the hope in the Air Force every day."