Instructor of the Week: SSgt. Kumas

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  • By Staff Reports
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

Staff Sgt. Joseph Kumas, 359th Training Squadron Detachment 1 low observable aircraft structural maintenance instructor and native of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, has been in the Air Force for eight and a half years and is the Instructor of the Week at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for the week of April 25 – May 1, 2017.

 

Most significant accomplishments:

 

“Although it is difficult dissecting eight years of an Air Force career down to just a few of the significant accomplishments, my top three would be: being a member of the very first low observable technical training class, and being hand-selected for the operational and test evaluation team for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Edwards Air Force Base, California,” said Kumas. “Going from the first ever low observable class to now the first ever true low observable instructor shows how far we’ve gone as a career field. It has allowed me to impart my gathered knowledge and skills to the next generation of Airmen that will be maintaining our 5th generation stealth aircraft.”

 

Airman’s story:

 

“I graduated from a military high school in South Florida and completed one year of college,” said Kumas. “I decided shortly after that school year that I wanted to try a different path and enlisted in the Air Force.  In my eight years of service I’ve been stationed at four different bases throughout United States. Ranging from the desert environment of Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, to the frozen tundra of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, with the pleasure of working on the F-22 Raptor at both assignments.

 

“After my tour in Alaska, I was selected to work on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Edwards Air Force Base, California,” he said. “Supervision noted my ability to train service members and asked if I would be interested in applying for a technical school instructor position through the Developmental Special Duty program. I was shortly picked up for the instructor position and am now stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.  I’ve been blessed with an amazing wife who has guided and supported me throughout my career and two wonderful sons age five and three.” 

 

Supervisor comments:

 

“Sergeant Kumas brings a wide variety of field knowledge to the technical training environment,” said Master Sgt. Adam Lewis, LOASM instructor supervisor. “His drive, attitude, and motivation towards his job and family are infectious, making not only himself, but his students and co-workers better as a whole. Additionally, Sergeant Kumas is qualified in 227 hours of 469 hours of the LOASM course and is on track to becoming the first full-course qualified LOASM instructor within the section. Lastly, Sergeant Kumas has taken on multiple additional duties, including a $14 million equipment account and ensuring 37 Detachment personnel are physically and mentally prepared as the unit deployment manager.”