Shelton, Henry Hugh

Shelton graduated from the University of North Carolina with a bachelor's degree in textile engineering and was simultaneously trained in the reserve officer training program. Studying at the university was a member of Pershing Rifles, a student shooting organization founded by General John Pershing . In 1973, he received a master's degree in political science from Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama. Subsequently, he also studied at the school of public administration. John F. Kennedy of Harvard University under the program "senior managers in national and international security."

In July - September 1963, he attended basic training courses for infantry officers at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning , Georgia .

In November 1963 - April 1964, platoon commander of the staff company of the 1st Battalion of the 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Benning , Georgia . In April-June 1964, he was trained in ranger courses at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning .

In June 1964 - July 1965, the platoon commander of company D of the 1st battalion of the 5th cavalry regiment of the 1st cavalry division , Fort Benning .

From July 1965 to September 1966 in the reserve of the US Army.

In September 1966 - July 1967, the platoon commander of Detachment B52, and then, from July to December 1967, the commander of Detachment A-104 of Company C as part of the 5th Special Forces Group of the US Army in Vietnam.

From January to December 1969 he served at the US Army Training Center in Fort Jackson ( South Carolina ), senior assistant to the commander of the 11th battalion (January – March) and logistics officer (March – December) as part of the 3rd training brigades.

From January 1969 to January 1970, he again served in Vietnam, this time as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade , first as an intelligence officer, later as Company Commander C, and then as Acting Operations Officer of the 4th Battalion 503rd Infantry Regiment.

In March - November 1970, he studied at advanced training courses for infantry officers at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning . After graduating from college, he served there in November 1970 - July 1972 as an instructor, and later as an operational officer in the Ranger Training Department.

In August 1972 - June 1973 he studied at the command and staff college of the Air Force, Maxwell Air Base, Alabama .

From July 1973 to July 1975, he served as a personnel officer and operations officer in the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division . In July 1975 - June 1976, head of the officer management department, later deputy chief of staff for the personnel of the 25th Infantry Division.

In June 1976 - June 1977, senior assistant commander of the 1st Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.

In June 1977 - April 1979, a professional development officer in the military combat arms division, later head of the appointments department of the majors' accounting department of the officer affairs department of the US Army Records Center, Alexandria , Virginia .

In April 1979 - June 1981, the commander of the 3rd battalion of the 60th infantry regiment of the 2nd brigade of the 9th infantry division. In June 1981-June 1982, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington .

From June 1982 to June 1983 he studied at the National Military College in Fort McNair, Washington, DC . From June to October 1983, the chairman of the reserve components research team in the office of the deputy chief of staff of the US Army personnel.

In October 1983 - October 1985, commander of the 1st Brigade of 82 Airborne Division. From November 1985 to July 1987, Chief of Staff of the 10th Mountain Division , Fort Drum, New York .

From July 1987 to June 1988 he served in Washington as deputy director of operations for the National Military Command Center. In June 1988 - July 1989, Deputy Director of Operations, J-3, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In July 1989 - May 1991, Shelton served as assistant commander of the 101st Air Assault Division for Operations, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. From August 1990 to March 1991, with his division, he was in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War .

From May 1991 to May 1993, he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division . Then, from June 1993 to February 1996, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg , North Carolina . From September to October 1994, he simultaneously commanded the Joint Task Force Haiti in Haiti during Operation Support for Democracy .

On December 14, 1995, Shelton was introduced to the rank of General and Commander of the Special Operations Command of the US Armed Forces ^[1] . On February 1, Shelton's candidacy was approved by the US Senate ^[2] . He took office on February 29, 1996, in which he was until September 25, 1997.

On July 17, 1997, he was nominated by US President Bill Clinton for the fourteenth chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ^[3] . On September 16, Shelton's candidacy was approved by the US Senate ^{[4] [5]} .

On October 1, 1997, took office as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He became the first chairman of the military who served in the special forces, and the second (after Colin Powell ) - of the graduates of training courses for reserve officers. During his tenure, he participated in the planning of the war in Kosovo .

During the events of September 11, 2001, Shelton was aboard a plane flying to Europe for a NATO conference, but turned back and returned to Washington.

September 30, 2001 Henry Shelton resigned as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

After leaving the armed forces, from January 2002 to April 2006, General Shelton served as president of international sales for MIC Industries, as well as directorial positions in several other joint-stock companies, such as Anheuser-Busch (2001-2008), Anteon International ( 2002-2006), CACI International (2007-2008) and Protective Products of America (2006-2010).

In August 2010, he was elected chairman of the board of directors of Red Hat Corporation (since April 2003 he was a member of the board of directors) ^[6] , since April 2011, he is also a member of the board of directors of the military-industrial corporation L-3 Communications . ^[7] In addition, he is the director or member of the advisory boards of AT Solutions, Cubic Defense Applications, Robbins-Gioia, CoVant Management, The O'Gara Group, Williams Innovations, HighMark.

In the 2004 presidential election , Shelton served as adviser to Senator John Edwards , a Democratic candidate for the United States.

In October 2010, he published his autobiography, “Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of the American Warrior.”

Since 1963, Henry Shelton has been married to Carolyn L. Johnson. He is the father of three sons.

• Second Lieutenant - September 19, 1964
• First Lieutenant - January 7, 1965
• Captain - March 19, 1967
• Major - February 7, 1974
• Lieutenant Colonel - November 6, 1978
• Colonel - October 1, 1983
• Brigadier General - August 1, 1988
• Major General - October 1, 1991
• Lieutenant General - June 7, 1993
• General - March 7, 1996

For the exemplary service of his country, on September 19, 2002 he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal .

•   Ministry of Defense Medal for Outstanding Service with Three Bronze Oak Leaves
•   Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) with two bronze oak leaves
•   Legion of Honor Order with Bronze Oak Leaf
•   Bronze star with letter V for valor and three bronze oak leaves
•   Purple Heart Medal
•   Medal of Commendation with two bronze oak leaves
•   Air Medal with Award Number 2
•   Army Commendation Medal with Three Bronze Oak Leaves
•   National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star for service
•   Expeditionary Medal of the Armed Forces
•   Vietnam Service Medal with Four Bronze Stars for Service
•   Medal for Service in Southwest Asia with Two Bronze Stars for Service
•   Army Service Tape
•   Service Tape Abroad
•   Cross “For courage” (South Vietnam) with a bronze star for service
•   Vietnam Campaign Medal
•   Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
•   Medal of Liberation (Kuwait)
•   Gratitude of the army military unit from the president
•   Gratitude from the naval military unit from the president
•   Award for outstanding unity of the piece with bronze oak leaf
•   Commendable gratitude to the army military unit
•   Vietnam Courage Cross
•   Commander with a star of the Order of Merit in front of the Republic of Poland (1999)
•   Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2001)
•   Mark of the battle infantryman
•   Sign of the master paratrooper
•   Aviation Guidance Specialist Badge
•   Badge of military parachutist of long jumps
•   U.S. Navy and Marine Corps paratrooper badge
•   Badge of the airborne assault units
•   Badge of a German paratrooper in bronze
•   US Army Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
•   Ranger Patch
•   US Army Special Operations Forces Patches

• Biography on the University of North Carolina website
• Biography at the office. NATO website