Colonel David Skalicky

Colonel David M. Skalicky is the Commander, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He leads F-35A Lightning II flying training and hosts the F-35 A/B/C maintenance training for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and seven international partners. He is also responsible for U.S. Air Force and international air battle manager and undergraduate weapons director training at Tyndall AFB, Fla, F-35 intelligence formal training at Eglin AFB, and foreign military F-35 pilot training at Ebbing ANG Base, Ark. The 33rd FW is home to 53 F-35As assigned to the 58th and 60th Fighter Squadrons to serve the Combat Air Forces.

Colonel Skalicky entered the Air Force as a graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Minnesota, while earning a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering & Mechanics. He also holds a masters’ degree in International Relations from Webster University and a master’s degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. Prior to his current position, Colonel Skalicky served as the Chief, Force Application Division, Joint Staff, J8, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Colonel Skalicky attended Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels, including the Commander of Air Combat Command’s F-22 Demonstration Team, Chief of Wing Safety, Commander of the 90th Fighter Squadron and Commander of the 354th Operations Group. He has deployed and commanded multiple times in the INDOPACOM and CENTCOM AORs and served on Air Combat Command’s Inspector General staff.

Colonel Skalicky is a combat-experienced Command Pilot with over 2,900 hours in the F-35A, F-22A, F-15C/D, T-38, and T-37.