Lobo Spotlight

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The commanding officer of the largest naval station in the world is a former Lobo.

Capt. David A. Culler Jr. became commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Va., on Aug. 2. Culler said the naval station houses 63 warships and about 180 aircraft.

“Our mission (at Norfolk) is to support the U.S. Atlantic Fleet,” he said. “As commanding officer, I make sure everything works effectively and efficiently every single day.”

Culler said he is a second-generation naval pilot, following in his father’s footsteps, and that his father’s naval career is what initially brought Culler to New Mexico. He said he lived in New Mexico as a child while his father worked for the Navy squadron stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base.

Culler always knew he wanted to be a pilot, and that he would have to work hard to become one. He attended Cleveland Middle School, Del Norte High School and UNM, where he moved into Laguna/DeVargas Hall with four of his closest friends.

“You can imagine, we did not exactly do as much studying as we should have,” Culler said. “I felt like I was sort of digging my way out the whole time, but by the time I graduated, I ended up doing pretty well.”

Culler said the best times he had at UNM were spent on Johnson field, where he and his friends would play football on fall nights.

“The fall weather in New Mexico has to be one of my fondest memories of my time at UNM,” he said.

Culler, who graduated from UNM in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, applied for the naval aviation program after graduation. He said that although he chose to get a college degree before attending aviator officer candidate school, a college degree isn’t the only way to get into the Navy’s flight school program.

Following officer school, Culler attended flight school, where he earned his Naval Flight Officer wings of gold, which certified him as a naval aviator. He then went on to fly in several squadrons before commanding his own squadron in 2005.

“Getting my wings of gold when I finished flight school was a proud time … it is not an easy program,” Culler said. “I think at the time, 40 percent of the people were getting washed out. The first time you actually go out there and land on an aircraft carrier at night — that rattles a lot of people.”

Culler said commanding his own squadron was one of the highlights of his career.

“My proudest moment was probably being (commanding officer) of my own squadron and we went out on a seven-month deployment,” Culler said. “We deployed in both the theaters for Iraq and Afghanistan, flying off of an aircraft carrier but we were supporting a lot of the missions on the ground.”

Culler said leaving his wife and two sons at home was the greatest challenge he has had to overcome in his career.

“It was pretty rough when I was leaving a lot,” he said. “You are in and out for about two years training, and then you actually go away (on deployment) for six to eight months.”

Culler said UNM still holds a special meaning for him because he made a lot of lifelong friends while he attended the University.
“I am actually still in touch with my best friend (from UNM) today. And we just met back at UNM last year for a Lobo game, we had a little reunion,” he said.

Culler said being commanding officer of the largest naval station in the world is a dream come true.

“Your dreams may seem really far away, but if you work hard every day and you are dedicated to your dream, you can certainly accomplish it,” Culler said. “Just never quit.”

The “Lobo Spotlight” series showcases current and former Lobo faculty, staff and students who do remarkable things. If you think you or someone you know deserves to be in the spotlight, send an email to news@dailylobo.com.