Colonel David P. Santos Jr. serves as the Chief of Staff for Joint Task Force – Micronesia (JTF-M) in Guam. He directs the JTF headquarters staff, overseeing the planning, integration, and synchronization of joint operations and interagency efforts within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's area of responsibility. His primary focus is on translating the Commander's strategic objectives into executable operational plans to ensure mission success.

A native of Guam, COL Santos commissioned through the University of Guam’s ROTC program in 2000, having begun his military career as an enlisted member in 1998. He has served in a wide range of leadership and staff positions at the state/territory, joint, and national levels, with more than seven years of combined command experience in both garrison and deployed combat environments.

His early assignments include Rifle Platoon Leader in support of Operation Enduring Freedom/Noble Eagle while deployed to Okinawa, Japan; Personnel Officer for 105th Troop Command; Executive Officer for the 1224^th Engineer Detachment in Afghanistan; Aide-de-Camp to the Adjutant General; and Operations Officer for the 1-294th Infantry Regiment in support of NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. He later served as Deputy G1, Deputy G3, Director of Strategic Plans and Policy/Exercises (J5/7), and Chief of Joint Staff in the Guam National Guard. COL Santos also served at the Pentagon as the Deputy Division Chief for Operations and Contingency Planning, Headquarters Department of the Army, G-3/5/7.

His command tours include Company Commander, A/1-294th Infantry Regiment, deployed to Afghanistan (2006-2008); Battalion Commander, 1-294^th Infantry Regiment, deployed to Egypt with the Multinational Force & Observers (2017-2020); and Troop Commander, 105th Troop Command (2019-2022).

Prior to his current role, COL Santos served as JTF-M’s Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5), where he focused on shaping the command’s future. He was responsible for conceptualizing long-range operational plans and forging the strategic alliances necessary for mission requirements in Micronesia.

COL Santos holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and is a graduate of the General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar at Harvard Kennedy School.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab (Honor Graduate), and the Army Staff Identification Badge. COL Santos is a recipient of the Order of Saint Maurice (Centurion) and the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.

He is married to the former Glenda Hocog Calvo of Rota, CNMI. They have three children: Devin, Dane, and Grace.

(Current as of 9 March 2026)

Last Updated: 9 March 2026