Sean Stumpf
Born in the Bronx, Sean Stumpf ’07, often watched planes take off and land at nearby LaGuardia Airport.
That childhood fascination sparked a lifelong passion for aviation that fueled his determination to become a pilot. Today, Stumpf is the one doing the takeoffs and landings, but instead of a commercial airliner he flies the C-130J, also known as the Super Hercules, in the United States Air Force.
The C-130 is one of the most versatile aircraft in the world that has been in service since the ’50s and flies missions supporting every branch of the military as well as various civil organizations operating in austere environments.
In high school, Stumpf played baseball and football but also participated in track and field, primarily running in the 200-meter, 400-meter and 800-meter races and various relays. Stumpf recalls that in his senior year of high school, he experienced competing in the Dome firsthand, an experience that would become familiar to him in front of family and friends while in college.
“I was a state finalist in track and field my senior year of high school. The state finals were in the Dome that year,” says Stumpf, who serves as the chief of safety for the 317th Airlift Wing at Dyess Air Force Base. “My sister was a student at Syracuse University when I got my first taste of the campus and its beauty though,” Stumpf recalled.
Stumpf was in the Dome when the Syracuse University football team crushed Rutgers University in a blowout 42-0 game. The overall experience left an impression on him and years later, when it came time to apply to college, Syracuse was among his top three choices. He says he was looking for a university where he could study aerospace engineering, participate in Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and run track.
“I was so conflicted because all my choices had so much to offer. One morning, my dad woke me up early and told me to get in the car, that we were going on a four-hour drive,” says Stumpf. “We arrived on campus for our own tour and bumped into some ROTC cadets. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the campus just felt like my new home. A few days later Carmelo Anthony and the men’s basketball team brought home the national title and I was sold.”
Of course, being a full-time college student is time-consuming all on its own. Add on the rigorous schedule for ROTC as well as being a student-athlete and free time becomes almost non-existent. Stumpf’s schedule those first few years started early, long before the sun came up, and ending long after it went down.
“I get tired just thinking about it,” Stumpf says. “Mornings were devoted to ROTC, followed by a day’s worth of aerospace engineering degree requisites, track practice, homework, then bed. Eventually I had to prioritize these things and, since I was not a strong athlete, my degree and ROTC took lead, so I left the team after a couple of years.”
Stumpf graduated from Syracuse and accepted a commission in the USAF as a second lieutenant. Most of his first few years were spent going through the training process to become a C-130 pilot. Initially, he served as a navigator on a C-130 but a few short years later he was selected to become a pilot—a dream he had chased since childhood.
“Since I was young I had always wanted to fly airplanes. They flew over my house all the time to land at LaGuardia,” Stumpf says. “Yes, I’m biased, but being a C-130 crewmember is the greatest job in the Air Force. The missions are always changing, our tactics and problem-solving abilities are always being tested.”
Stumpf has returned to his alma mater a few times since graduating, mostly for athletic or alumni events, but also to speak with current cadets with Air Force ROTC Detachment 535. He returned a few years ago, after becoming an officer, to visit with the ROTC cadets and answer their questions about life in the U.S. Air Force after graduation.
Sharing his knowledge with cadets is one thing, but Stumpf returned earlier this year to give back in an entirely different way that the cadets are sure to remember.
“My fellow pilot, a Syracuse native, and I thought it would be an incredible opportunity for the cadets to get a live look at the C-130J and its dynamic mission,” Stumpf says.
Some people can go years in the military without ever stepping foot on a C-130, much less having the opportunity to fly in one. Getting on a military aircraft, participating in a flight and speaking with the pilots afterward is a rare opportunity, especially for ROTC cadets. The opportunity for this experience was primarily due to Stumpf’s passion for supporting the Air Force ROTC detachment at Syracuse.
With 16 years of service to date, Stumpf plans to finish out his career and retire from the Air Force one day. An exact date isn’t on his mind at the moment, but he is about to reach a major milestone in his military career in early February.
“I’ll reach the pinnacle in a couple of weeks. In February, I will become the squadron commander for the 40th Airlift Squadron, the ‘Screaming Eagles,’ at Dyess Air Force Base,” says Stumpf. “I’m truly humbled to be given this opportunity. I’ll be working for approximately 150 people who’ve volunteered to serve their country; looking after their well-being, professional development, training, and deployment readiness.”
Those interested in learning more about the opportunities available through the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Syracuse University are encouraged to visit the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs ROTC webpage.
