Colonel David Sammons
DISTINGUISHED ROTC ALUM
Aiming High
During his impressive 26-year military career, Col. David Sammons Jr. has lived the Air Force slogan “Aim High” and more often than not has been right on target.
In recognition of his Air Force service that is liberally sprinkled with honors and awards, Col. Sammons has been designated the 2007 ASU Distinguished ROTC Alumnus.
A Carr ROTC Scholarship recipient, Sammons was a 1981 Distinguished ROTC Graduate in education and biology. He was also a member of the Arnold Air Society where he built lasting friendships during leadership training, chili cook-offs and building the Homecoming bonfire.
“ASU’s ROTC program built on a rock-solid foundation of values, work ethic and sense of patriotism already established by my parents,” Sammons said. “Central to the success of the ROTC program was the personal dedication and devotion provided to each student by our instructors and the cadre staff. It was their example of caring leadership, professionalism and commitment to excellence that provided an early and lasting influence on how to conduct myself as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.”
Currently the chairman of the Department of Aerospace Studies/ROTC at North Carolina State University, Sammons’ Air Force career has also included command positions with the 55th Electronic Combat Group and the 15th Special Operations Squadron. He is a Master Navigator with over 4,600 flight hours, including 124 combat hours over Afghanistan, Iraq, Colombia, Kosovo and Bosnia.
Sammons’ military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Gallant Unit Citation and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor.
Sammons holds master’s degrees from Troy State and the Naval War College. He has also completed the Air Force, Army and Marine Command and Staff Colleges, the Air War College and was a Distinguished Graduate of the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Ala. He is married to Rene Sammons and they have three sons, Josh, Nathan and Kyle.