Connor “Kronk” Ference

Connor “Kronk” Ference
F-22 Fighter Weapons School Instructor Pilot, USAF

Major Connor “Kronk” Ference is a F-22 Fighter Weapons School Instructor Pilot for the 433 WPS. He has over 1,000 F-22 hours and over 1,500 flying hours, including over 300 Combat Hours in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Enduring Freedom. Major Ference has earned a Flying Medal and an Aerial Achievement award while achieving 100% mission success in 33 combat missions providing Defensive Counter Air for US and allied forces in Syria and Iraq.

Major Ference is currently an instructor at the fighter weapons school, in addition to being the Chief of Training, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and Chief of Scheduling. Kronk is the F-22 Subject Matter Expert for Radar Warning.

Major Ference graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2013, with a B.S. in Business Management. From there he attended Undergraduate Pilot Training in Columbus AFB MS, earning the Distinguished Graduate, Flying, Academic, and the some guys name award as the top graduate. During Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, he earned the River Rat award as the student most desired to bring to combat. While attending the F-22 Basic qualification course in 2015 he was the distinguished graduate of his class. In 2019 he attended Fighter Weapon School, and in 2021 he returned back to the Fighter Weapon School to instruct future Weapons Officers.

Outside of his profession, Connor enjoys raising his three children, playing golf, and pursuing an amateur career in home renovation and word working.