Georgia Air National Guard names first Black Commander

Major General Konata Crumbly, the first Black Commander of the Georgia Air National Guard, assumed his new post last week. 

On his historic appointment, Crumbly said, “I’m not the first African American qualified, but I’m the first that was given the opportunity.”

“My No. 1 priority is to ensure our Airmen are properly trained and equipped to fight our nation’s wars. Second is to ensure we take care of families by providing them with proper health, dental and mental care,” said Crumbly on his newest military leadership assignment.

A command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours to include over 1,300 combat hours, Crumbly will command nearly 3,000 Airmen in two wings and at the Combat Readiness Training Center. The new commander said he is laser-focused on keeping his people combat-ready to “bend the odds of victory in our favor.”

Crumbly’s outstanding military career began with the ROTC at Florida A&M University. Crumbly graduated from the program and attended Army Aviation Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he earned his wings as a UH-60 A/L Black Hawk pilot.

Upon completing his Army aviation service commitment, he transitioned into the Georgia Air National Guard as an E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) pilot in 2004. Crumbly has flown combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom as well as missions in support of United States Africa Command.