Iowa State Senator Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant), representing eastern Polk and Jasper Counties, will serve on Active Duty with the US Air Force beginning 20 July 2020 through spring 2021. Nunn currently serves as a Lt. Colonel, commanding the 233d Intelligence Squadron, 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard.
“Serving our country, state, and community is the greatest honor of my life. I am humbled by the overwhelming support of constituents as our family is called to military service,” said Nunn. “During my time on active duty, our team will continue to engage with Iowans through regular updates and work hard to provide excellent constituent services to our community members.”
On active duty, Lt Col Nunn will serve the Chief of Staff of the Air Force in the highly competitive Blue Horizons Fellowship, tasked to “examine geo-strategic dilemmas and provide innovative solutions for some of the Department of Defense’s hardest challenges.” During this time, Nunn will be posted at the U.S. Air Force’s Air War College, the military’s senior most professional school.
“Zach is the National Guard’s first selectee to the Blue Horizons Fellowship. This is a great win for Iowa, the Air Guard, and showcases the advantages citizen-airmen can provide our senior military leaders,” said Brigadier General Shawn Ford, Iowa Air Adjutant General.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny), said “we are proud to support Zach’s service as a Senator and his duty to the military.” Leader Whitver noted, “the Legislature has strong precedents supporting military members called to duty, and we look forward to Senator Nunn continuing in his currently elected position in the Iowa Senate through 2022.”
Nunn was recently deployed in 2019, commanding the 24th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron’s airborne missions in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. During his previous service on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, he amassed nearly 1,000-combat flight hours during three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and was awarded “Best Aircrew” in the Air Force for life-saving air support to U.S. Special Operations troops under heavy enemy fire.
Nunn, Chair of the International Relations Committee, is serving his first term in the Iowa Senate. He and his wife, Kelly, have four children and live in Bondurant.
