2026 Summer Institute

Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel

Military Deputy Director, Defense Innovation Unit

Major General Joseph "Solo" Kunkel, U.S. Air Force, is the Military Deputy Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Department of Defense organization that accelerates the adoption of commercial and dual-use technology across the U.S. military. A command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours in the F-15E and F-22 Raptor, he previously served as the Air Force's Director of Force Design, Integration and Wargaming at the Pentagon. Commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994, he has commanded at the squadron and wing levels, including the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, and completed roughly ten combat deployments. His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.