GENERAL WILLIAM L. SHELTON
Gen. William L. Shelton is Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He is responsible for organizing, equipping, training and maintaining mission-ready space and cyberspace forces and capabilities for North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Strategic Command and other combatant commands around the world. General Shelton oversees Air Force network operations; manages a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and space launch facilities; and is responsible for space system development and acquisition. He leads more than 42,000 professionals assigned to 134 locations worldwide.
General Shelton entered the Air Force in 1976 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in various assignments, including research and development testing, space operations and staff work. The general has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and numbered air force levels, and served on the staffs at major command headquarters, Air Force headquarters and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to assuming his current position, General Shelton was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1976 Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1980 Master of Science degree in astronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1986 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1995 Master of Science degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1996 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University
1997 Fellow, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1976 - May 1979, Launch Facilities Manager, Launch Director and Technical Assistant to the Commander, Space and Missile Test Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. May 1979 - December 1980, Graduate Student, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. January 1981 - July 1985, Space Shuttle Flight Controller, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
4. July 1985 - January 1986, Student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
5. January 1986 - July 1988, Staff officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
6. August 1988 - August 1990, Staff Officer, Office of Space Plans and Policy, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. August 1990 - June 1992, Commander, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, Falcon AFB, Colo.
8. June 1992 - June 1993, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. June 1993 - July 1994, Commander, 50th Operations Group, Falcon AFB, Colo.
10. August 1994 - June 1995, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1995 - September 1997, Deputy Program Manager and Executive Assistant, Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Office, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, Washington, D.C.
12. September 1997 - August 1999, Commander, 90th Space Wing, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
13. September 1999 - July 2000, Chief, Space Superiority Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2000 - November 2000, Director of Manpower and Organization, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. November 2000 - May 2002, Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
16. June 2002 - January 2003, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
17. January 2003 - May 2003, Director, Air and Space Operations, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
18. June 2003 - January 2005, Director of Capability and Resource Integration (J8), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
19. January 2005 - May 2005, Director of Plans and Policy (J5), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
20. May 2005 - December 2008, Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), AFSPC, and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
21. December 2008 - July 2009, Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
22. July 2009 - January 2011, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
23. January 2011 - present, Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 - September 1997, Deputy Program Manager and Executive Assistant, Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Office, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. June 2003 - January 2005, Director of Capability and Resource Integration (J8), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a brigadier general and major general
3. January 2005 - May 2005, Director of Plans and Policy (J5), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a major general
4. May 2005 - July 2006, Commander, Joint Space Operations, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a major general
5. July 2006 - December 2008, Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a major general and lieutenant general
BADGES
Command Space Badge
Master Cyberspace Badge
Parachutist Badge
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1976
First Lieutenant June 2, 1978
Captain June 2, 1980
Major May 1, 1985
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1990
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2001
Major General July 1, 2004
Lieutenant General Dec. 20, 2007
General Jan. 5, 2011
(Current as of May 2014)
General Shelton entered the Air Force in 1976 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in various assignments, including research and development testing, space operations and staff work. The general has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and numbered air force levels, and served on the staffs at major command headquarters, Air Force headquarters and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to assuming his current position, General Shelton was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
1976 Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1980 Master of Science degree in astronautical engineering, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
1986 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
1995 Master of Science degree in national security strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
1996 Program for Senior Officials in National Security, Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University
1997 Fellow, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1976 - May 1979, Launch Facilities Manager, Launch Director and Technical Assistant to the Commander, Space and Missile Test Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. May 1979 - December 1980, Graduate Student, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. January 1981 - July 1985, Space Shuttle Flight Controller, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
4. July 1985 - January 1986, Student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
5. January 1986 - July 1988, Staff officer, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
6. August 1988 - August 1990, Staff Officer, Office of Space Plans and Policy, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. August 1990 - June 1992, Commander, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, Falcon AFB, Colo.
8. June 1992 - June 1993, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. June 1993 - July 1994, Commander, 50th Operations Group, Falcon AFB, Colo.
10. August 1994 - June 1995, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 1995 - September 1997, Deputy Program Manager and Executive Assistant, Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Office, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, Washington, D.C.
12. September 1997 - August 1999, Commander, 90th Space Wing, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
13. September 1999 - July 2000, Chief, Space Superiority Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2000 - November 2000, Director of Manpower and Organization, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. November 2000 - May 2002, Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
16. June 2002 - January 2003, Director of Plans and Programs, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
17. January 2003 - May 2003, Director, Air and Space Operations, Headquarters AFSPC, Peterson AFB, Colo.
18. June 2003 - January 2005, Director of Capability and Resource Integration (J8), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
19. January 2005 - May 2005, Director of Plans and Policy (J5), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
20. May 2005 - December 2008, Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), AFSPC, and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
21. December 2008 - July 2009, Chief of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
22. July 2009 - January 2011, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
23. January 2011 - present, Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 - September 1997, Deputy Program Manager and Executive Assistant, Cooperative Threat Reduction Program Office, Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. June 2003 - January 2005, Director of Capability and Resource Integration (J8), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a brigadier general and major general
3. January 2005 - May 2005, Director of Plans and Policy (J5), USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb., as a major general
4. May 2005 - July 2006, Commander, Joint Space Operations, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a major general
5. July 2006 - December 2008, Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, USSTRATCOM, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a major general and lieutenant general
BADGES
Command Space Badge
Master Cyberspace Badge
Parachutist Badge
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1976
First Lieutenant June 2, 1978
Captain June 2, 1980
Major May 1, 1985
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 1990
Colonel Feb. 1, 1994
Brigadier General Jan. 1, 2001
Major General July 1, 2004
Lieutenant General Dec. 20, 2007
General Jan. 5, 2011
(Current as of May 2014)