Col. David “Boar” Gunter is the Director of Staff for Air Combat Command, where he leads a 60 person executive support team for the commander and deputy commander. ACC operates more than 1,000 aircraft, 35 wings, 11 bases, and 1,348 units at more than 300 operating locations worldwide with 159,000 total force military and civilian personnel. When mobilized, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve contribute more than 700 aircraft and 49,000 people to Air Combat Command.
Col. Gunter commissioned after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in 2002. After completing Undergraduate Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, he attended the F-15E Basic Course at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.
Col. Gunter has served as a Military Advisor and Instructor Pilot for the F-15S at King Khalid Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has attended Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado to be the Operational Branch Chief and to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina to be the Director of Operations for the 333d Fighter Squadron. He commanded the 335th Fighter Squadron where he was responsible for the organizing, training, and deployment of nearly 360 Airmen and Civilians and 24 aircraft.
He has had four operational assignments and four deployments in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Spartan Shield, Combined Defense of the Arabian Peninsula, and Dynamic Eagle. Prior to this assignment, he served as a National Defense Fellow, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Master's Degree in Religion, Louisiana Baptist University
2016 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2023 National Defense Fellow, The Fletcher School, Tufts University
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2003 – May 2005, Student Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. May 2005 – February 2006, Student F-15E Basic Course, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
3. February 2006 – November 2009, F-15E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Strike, Flight Commander, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. November 2009 – February 2012, F-15E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Air-to-Ground Tactics, Chief of Wing Assessments, 366th Operational Support Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. February 2012 – February 2013, F-15S Instructor Pilot, Military Advisor, King Khalid Air Base (AB), Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
6. February 2013 – June 2015, F-15E Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, Chief of Fighter Wing Advanced Programs, 366 Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
7. June 2015 – June 2016, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. June 2016 – July 2018, Operations Branch Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. July 2018 – January 2020, Director of Operations, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
10. January 2020 – May 2020, Deputy Commander, 4th Maintenance Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
11. May 2020 – January 2022, Commander, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
12. January 2022 – July 2022, Deputy Commander, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
13. July 2022 – June 2023, National Defense Fellow, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Mass.
14. June 2023 – Present, Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 – July 2018, Operations Branch Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,100, including over 520 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: F-15E, F-15S, AT38B, T-38A, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and two oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major May 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 2017
Colonel July 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2023)