Colonel David R. Gunter is the Wing Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. He serves a dynamic operational fighter wing equipped with F-15E and F-15SG fighter aircraft. The wing is comprised of 4,200 military and civilian members that support 18 squadrons including a squadron comprised of members from the Republic of Singapore Air Force. It hosts the 726th Air Control Squadron and the Idaho Air National Guard 266th Range Squadron. The wing operates, maintains, and develops the Mountain Home Range Complex comprised of 9,016 square miles of associated airspace and 122,000 acres of land space used for two air-to-ground training ranges, five no-drop target complexes, and 30 multi-size electronic combat sites. The command also includes the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron, which flies U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
Col Gunter commissioned after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in 2002. After Undergraduate Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, he attended the F-15E Basic Course at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.
Col Gunter served as a Military Advisor and Instructor Pilot for the F-15S at King Khalid Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and attended Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado as the Operational Branch Chief and to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina as 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 five deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD, Combined Defense of the Arabian Peninsula, Rough Rider, Midnight Hammer, and Dynamic Eagle. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Deputy Commander for the historic 332 Air Expeditionary Wing, the Red Tails.
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, North Carolina
3. February 2006 – November 2009, F-15E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Strike, Flight Commander, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
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, Kansas
8. June 2016 – July 2018, Operations Branch Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
9. July 2018 – January 2020, Director of Operations, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
10. February 2020 – May 2020, Deputy Commander, 4th Maintenance Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
11. May 2020 – January 2022, Commander, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
12. January 2022 – July 2022, Deputy Commander, 4th Operations Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
13. July 2022 – June 2023, National Defense Fellow, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Massachusetts
14. June 2023 – June 2024, Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
15. June 2024 – July 2025, Deputy Commander, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
16. November 2025 - Present , Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 – July 2018, Operations Branch Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
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
Legion of Merit with C device
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Gallant Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with two service stars
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