Sergeant First Class Derek Stults holds a Master of Music degree from DePaul University, a Bachelor of Music degree in both Performance and Education from The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, and a Professional Studies Diploma in orchestral studies-percussion from the Chicago College of Performing Arts. His principal teachers have been Michael Osrowitz, Ben Toth, Ted Atkatz, Vadim Karpinos, Eric Millstein, and Ed Harrison. He has also studied Arabic hand drumming with Glen Velez. In 2009, SFC Stults was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. He also participated in the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Aspen Music Festival. SFC Stults was Principal Percussionist with the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the Southwest Michigan Symphony, the Evansville Philharmonic, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Since 2011, he has freelanced in the Washington, DC area and has been a regular substitute with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.