Maj. Gen. David G. “Baja” Shoemaker is the Director of Operations, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He is responsible to the Commander, ACC, on all matters pertaining to the direct operational planning, training, and command and control functions to deploy and employ regular and Reserve component combat air forces, including more than 1,900 aircraft in support of U.S. security objectives.
General Shoemaker was commissioned in 1994 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. After an initial assignment as an Air Surveillance Officer in the E-3 at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., he earned his wings as an F-16 pilot and has held a variety of leadership positions, including command of the 421st Fighter Squadron “Black Widows” and the 8th Fighter Wing “Wolf Pack.”
General Shoemaker is a command pilot with more than 2,000 pilot hours in the T-37, T-38, and F-16A/B/C/D. He has flown in operations Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom, logging 100 combat sorties in the F-16. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Master of Military Art and Science, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Air War College, Superior Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Strategic Studies, School of Advanced Military Studies (Advanced Operational Studies Fellowship), Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2016 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2019 Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander Course, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1994–March 1995, Student, Undergraduate Controller Training, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
2. March 1995–June 1999, Evaluator Air Surveillance Officer, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
3. June 1999–January 2001, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and Fighter Introduction, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. January 2001–October 2001, Student, F-16 Replacement Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. October 2001–October 2005, Flight Commander and Instructor Pilot, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
6. October 2005–December 2006, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. January 2007–December 2007, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. December 2007–July 2010, Instructor and Director of Operations, Air Force Element, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. July 2010–August 2011, Director of Operations, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
10. September 2011–May 2012, Chief of Safety, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
11. May 2012–June 2014, Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
12. June 2014–June 2015, Advanced Operational Studies Fellow, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
13. July 2015–May 2017, Vice Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
14. May 2017–June 2018, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
15. June 2018–June 2019, Executive Assistant to the Commander, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
16. June 2019–June 2020, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
17. June 2020–July 2023, Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
18. August 2023–present, Director of Operations, Headquarters, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2007–July 2010, Instructor and Director of Operations, Air Force Element, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan, as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2020–August 2023, Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,900
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16A/B/C/D, E-3B/C (aircrew)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Outstanding Unit Award with “V” Device
Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit (Samil Medal)
(Current as of February 2024)