COLONEL ROBERT A. SHELTON

Colonel Robert A. Shelton is the commander of the 100th Operations Group and the 401st Air Expeditionary Group, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom. The 100th OG is responsible for the planning, scheduling, and execution of all United States Air Forces in Europe air refueling operations as well as the mission readiness, mobilization, employment, training and standardization of 15 KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and 245 permanently assigned aircrew and support personnel.

Colonel Shelton is a native of Roanoke, Virginia and entered the Air Force in 1996. He earned his commission from AFROTC Detachment 875 as a graduate of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. He has previously commanded the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham, Alabama. He has also served in a variety of staff positions at wing, major command, and combatant command levels. Prior to this assignment he served as Chief, Strategy Division, United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.  

Colonel Shelton is a command pilot with over 2800 hours in T-37B, T-1A, C-5A/B, RC-135V, and KC-135R/T aircraft and has extensive operational flying experience in support of Operations ALLIED FORCE, NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.

EDUCATION

1996    Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Virginia Tech, VA 
2002    Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2004    Master of Management/Aviation Safety, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, FL 
2007    Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2009    United States Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, KS 
2012    Air War College, by correspondence
2016    Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2016    Master of Science, Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, National Defense University, Norfolk, VA

ASSIGNMENTS

May 96 - Dec 96    Special Assistant to the Commander, AFROTC Det. 875, Blacksburg, VA
Dec 96 - Dec 97    Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
Feb 98 - May 98    KC-135R Initial Qualification Training, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, OK
May 98 - Jun 02    KC-135R/T Pilot / Aircraft Commander / Instructor Aircraft Commander, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, ND
Jun 02 - May 03    Executive Officer, KC-135 Instructor Aircraft Commander, 319th Operations Group, Grand Forks AFB, ND
May 03 - Jun 04    Chief, Special Assignment Airlift Planning Branch, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, IL (AMC PHOENIX HAWK)
Jun 04 - Oct 05    Chief, KC-135 Requirements, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Directorate of Plans and Programs, Scott AFB, IL (AMC PHOENIX HAWK)
Oct 05 - Aug 06    Chief Pilot, C-5A/B Aircraft Commander, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
Aug 06 - Jun 08    Chief, Wing Plans and Programs, C-5A/B Instructor Aircraft Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, DE
Jun 08 - Jun 09    Student, US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
Jun 09 - Mar 11    Chief, Global Command and Control Branch, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Directorate of Operations, Scott AFB, IL
Mar 11 - Jul 12    AMC/A3 Strategy and Integration Officer, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Directorate of Operations, Scott AFB, IL
Aug 12 - Jun 13    Operations Officer, 911th Air Refueling Squadron, 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
Jun 13 - Jun 15    Commander, 99th Air Refueling Squadron, 117th Air Refueling Wing, Birmingham ANGB Birmingham, AL
Jul 15 - Jun 16    Student, Joint Advance Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College – National Defense University, Norfolk VA
Jul 16 - Jun 17    Chief, Deliberate Plans-West Branch USTRANSCOM, Directorate of Operations and Plans, Scott AFB, IL
Jun 17 - May 18    Chief, Strategy Division, USTRANSCOM, Directorate of Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics, Scott AFB, IL
Jun 18 - present Commander, 100th Operations Group and 401st Air Expeditionary Group, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

Jun 2016 - May 2018 – Chief, Deliberate Plans-West then Chief, Strategy Division, Directorate of Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics (J5/J4), U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 11, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain    May 29, 2000
Major April 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2011
Colonel    July 1, 2017

(Current as of November 2019)