Recommendations From: Lt Col Jeremy Kokenes

Title: Director of Operations, Special Operations Command North

Date of Hire: N/A – US Air Force

Primary Phone: 850-499-6538

Alternate Phone: N/A

Email Address: Kokenes@hotmail.com

Years Acquainted: 7

Flying Comments:

I wholeheartedly recommend Daniel Florence to fly for the airlines. Daniel is an accomplished 

and respected pilot in multiple USAF Major Weapon Systems (MWS) including the challenging 

Special Operations CV-22 Osprey. Dan was selected specifically for assignment at the Air 

Force’s only CV-22 Formal Training Unit (FTU) at Kirtland Air Force Base. He is a Flight 

Commander whose responsibilities include instructing new CV-22 crews and preparing them for 

extremely demanding operations under Air Force Special Operations Command. While I have 

never flown with Dan at the controls, I have conducted multiple military related aviation 

missions, and I also personally have known several of his flying squadron commanders who all 

express great accolades for Dan and his aviation skills.

Work Comments: 

I was Dan's commander in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2010 and have kept in close contact with 

him since then. I commanded a Special Operations Air Element and Dan was my Director of 

Operations. For over 90 days, he was tasked to help me stand up a new organization while 

overseeing flying operations for US Air Force, Army and foreign special operations units. He 

performed his functions with great skill, competence, and professionalism especially during 

times of heightened stress. He was instrumental in executed the first-ever integration of an Arab 

Special Operations Aviation Task Force. His leadership and charisma with these foreign fighters

was crucial to the success of integrating three different aircraft into 180 missions. I relied on 

Dan as my 2nd in command to lead our Joint Operations Center (JOC), and he did so in an 

outstanding manner despite grueling conditions, constant rocket attacks and a high operations 

tempo. He was also critical to helping build and stand up a new forward operations camp, with 

living areas and a new JOC while simultaneously conducting his daily tasks. His dedication to 

mission helped double special operations air command-and-control (C2) capabilities in the 

region. During his short time under my command, he had direct oversight and C2 of 7 different 

MWS, 334 combat sorties, movement of over 2,250 special operations forces, transportation of 

800 tons of critical combat equipment, 78 named operations, 48 close air support missions, and 
helped with the capture/incapacitation of 18 high value targets. Dan is a leader and was 

respected and looked up to for these qualities by subordinates, peers, other military organizations 

and aviators from other nations. I officially ranked Dan 1 out of 7 Captains and his 

professionalism and performance as my Director of Operations grabbed the attention of my boss, 

who subsequently ranked him Top 10% of 455 Company Grade Officers in the 1st Special 

Operations Group at Hurlburt Field. While I sincerely recommend him to fly for the airlines due 

to his aviation skills, I am thankful to also know Dan as a leader, warrior, patriot, comrade in 

arms and friend. I do not hesitate to endorse his desire to transition to fly for the airlines and I 

personally guarantee his success.