Tyndall squadron commander selected for new CSAF fellows program

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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Tyndall commander selected for new CSAF senior officer program


Lieutenant Colonel David Krumm, 43rd Fighter Squadron commander, was one of seven officers recently selected to be part of a new Chief of Staff of the Air Force Fellows program directed by Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

"The CSAF Fellows program is a prestigious opportunity to develop some of the Air Force's most talented officers," General Moseley said. "It will provide these hand-selected officers with the opportunity to cultivate their skill sets in career-broadening positions specializing in national military strategy, national defense policy and international relations."

The intent of the CSAF Fellows program is to develop a strong group of senior officers with breadth and depth in operational, command and joint/interagency experience, he said. Officers are selected based on their strong competency and potential to serve in senior positions.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be a part of this program," Colonel Krumm said. "I feel honored to have been selected, but I also realize that I've been afforded this opportunity because of the contributions of the amazing and talented people I have working around me."


The selected officers will work directly for the chief of staff in lieu of serving as a group or vice wing commander, and after successful completion of the program, will be strong candidates for operational wing command or equivalent positions.

"Colonel (select) Krumm possesses a rare combination of poise, technical expertise and charisma...he is a special leader," said Brigadier General Tod Wolters, 325th Fighter Wing commander.

These positive attributes, coupled with the experience he gains from the CSAF Fellows program, will bode well for Colonel Krumm and the Air Force as he continues his career.

"We expect him to serve as a senior Air Force leader...he will command at the highest levels," said the general.

Colonel Krumm, who was unaware he was being looked at for the program until he was selected, has not been told yet when he is to report to Washington D.C., but expects it will be sometime this summer.

Tour lengths for the program will vary from one to two years, and participating officers will still be expected to complete a program such as Air War College to receive credit for developmental education.

"Maintaining peak combat capability begins and ends with talented, motivated, trained and well-equipped Airmen," General Moseley said. "This prestigious program provides distinguished officers with the right experience at the right time in their careers."

Colonel Krumm, recently selected for a below-the-zone promotion, received his commission as a distinguished graduate from Auburn University in 1989. He is a command pilot with more than 2,600 flying hours in the F-15C Eagle and F-22 Raptor. He has served as a flight commander, assistant operations officer and as the chief of F-22 initial operation test and evaluation. Prior to assuming command of the 43rd FS, Colonel Krumm served as initial cadre for the F-22, and then as operations officer for the 43rd FS and the 325th Operations Support Squadron. He is a distinguished graduate and outstanding graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course.

Other officers selected for the program are:

-- Lt. Col. Gary W. Henderson, a senior developmental education student at NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy.

-- Col. Michael T. Plehn, commander of the 27th Special Operations Group at Cannon AFB, N.M.

-- Col. Kathleen C. Sakura, deputy director for joint staff intelligence support for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

-- Col. Jeffrey B. Taliaferro, an Air Force Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

-- Col. Stephen N. Whiting, commander of the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and director of the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

-- Col. John M. Wood, deputy commander of the 60th Operations Group at Travis AFB, Calif. 

(The 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs contributed to this story)