Daniel Krumrei was born and raised in Wisconsin, and joined the Wisconsin National Guard as an enlisted man in 1977. A couple of years later his life took a dramatic turn, and he decided to become a minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). After finishing his religious education at Phillips University in Oklahoma, he and his wife moved to Iowa. In 1990 he deployed with the 209th Medical Clearing Company for the Gulf War, serving as a unit chaplain. Following the war, Krumrei answered a call to a church in Pittsfield, Illinois. By 1998 he was serving a congregation at Parkway Christian Church in Springfield while also making steady progress in his military career. He went on to become the Adjutant General for Illinois.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
Get the Right People
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early life and school, military training and marriage
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
College and seminary at Phillips, Chaplain’s OBC and move to Iowa
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Experiences during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1990-1991
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Coming home from the Gulf War, and career in 1990s & 2000s
Interview Session 05 (Audio)
Service as the IL National Guard Adjutant General from 2012-2015
Photos
Caption
Private (E-1) Dan Krumrei’s official Basic Training photo. He attended basic at Ft. Gordon, Georgia in early 1977.
Where:
Ft. Gordon, Georgia
When:
1977
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Private Krumrei was the oldest member of his basic training platoon, 4th Platoon, Company C, part of the 1st Signal Training Brigade at Ft. Gordon, Georgia in early 1977. He is in the top row, fourth from the left.
Where:
Ft. Gordon, Georgia
When:
1977
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
Dan Krumrei went to Basic Training at Ft. Gordon, Georgia in June through August 1977.
Where:
Ft. Gordon, Georgia
When:
1977
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Mary Sue was proud to attend Dan’s Basic Training graduation at Ft. Gordon, Georgia in August 1977.
Where:
Ft. Gordon, Georgia
When:
August 1977
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei took a foot locker full of beanie babies, toys and games with him while on a National Guard rotation to Malawi (a land-locked country in southeast Africa).
Where:
Malawi, Africa
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei visited the African country of Malawi during his annual training experience.
Where:
Malawi, Africa
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
A wedding during Fort de Chartres’ annual Rendezvous in the mid-1990s included a member of the 232nd Corps Support Battalion, where Krumrei served as the unit chaplain.
Where:
Fort de Chartres
When:
1990s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei spent some precious time with his children Kate, Ben and Jess in front of the family Christmas tree in Clear Lake, Iowa shortly before he deployed for service in Desert Storm in December 1990.
Where:
Clear Lake, Iowa
When:
December 1990
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei caught up on paperwork somewhere in Kuwait while he was deployed for Operation Desert Storm in early 1991. He deployed with an Iowa National Guard unit.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei stands outside his tent, in the midst of the desolate Kuwaiti desert following the end of Operation Desert Storm in early 1991.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
For Chaplain Krumrei during Desert Storm, “other duties as assigned” included helping dig this bunker. It became part of the unit’s position somewhere in Kuwait in early 1991.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei gets his picture taken under a sign for Kuwait City with Mac, a doctor with which he served. Mac had the distinction of being the oldest captain in the U.S. Army at the time. Early 1991.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Kuwaiti oil fields were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi soldiers.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
This photo of Chaplain Krumrei’s return to Iowa in May 1991 following his service in Operation Desert Storm made the Clear Lake Mirror Reporter, his local newspaper.
Where:
Iowa
When:
May 1991
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Although Kuwait was a modern city, Chaplain Krumrei found this boat in Kuwait City’s port while he was stationed there following the defeat of the Iraqi Army.
Where:
Kuwait
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Chaplain Krumrei, now a Colonel and the IL National Guard Joint Forces Command Chaplain, deployed for a training exercise to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The dominant religions in that country were Roman Catholic, Protestant and animism.
Where:
Democratic Republic of Congo
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sergeant David Penny accompanied Chaplain Krumrei to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were participating in two weeks of ethics training with this class of Congolese students.
Where:
Democratic Republic of Congo
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Tactical Operations Center (TOC) at the Quincy Armory during the Great Flood of 1993. The TOC was a busy place, but soldiers still found time for a bit of fun.
Where:
Quincy, Illinois
When:
1993
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
A morning briefing for commanders and staff at the Quincy Armory TOC during the summer of 1993. Most units in the Illinois National Guard were eventually involved in fighting the Great Flood of 1993.
Where:
Quincy, Illinois
When:
1993
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
In July 1993 Chaplain Krumrei was called up to help fight the ‘Great Flood of 1993.’ Here he is overlooking the Mississippi River near Quincy, Illinois.
Where:
Quincy, Illinois
When:
1993
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Dan’s wife Mary Sue punches in his new rank, Colonel during a change of command ceremony in March 2013.
Where:
Unknown
When:
March 2013
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Dan Krumrei’s daughter Kate commissioned this cartoon for her dad, drawn by Jahraus, a father and son cartoonist team, to help commemorate Krumrei’s promotion to brigadier general, a rank he achieved when he became Illinois’ Adjutant General in May 2013.
Where:
Unknown
When:
May 2013
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
General Krumrei with Congressman William Enyart following his election to Congress in 2013. The two had served together for many years in the IL Army National Guard, where Enyart worked as a lawyer on The Adjutant General’s staff.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2013
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
General Dan and wife Mary Sue Krumrei at the National Guard’s 2013 Sustainment Ball in Illinois.
Where:
Illinois
When:
2013
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Major General Dan Krumrei’s official Adjutant General photo was taken in 2013.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2013
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
General Krumrei, with his wife, Mary Sue, waves to the attendees at the annual NGAUS (National Guard Association of the US) Convention held in Chicago in 2013.
Where:
Chicago
When:
2013
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
General Krumrei was proud to receive the Army War College’s Writing Award during his graduation ceremony at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in July 2006.
Where:
Pennsylvania
When:
July 2006
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo