Hugh Shelton

Henry Hugh Shelton (born 2 January 1942)[1] is a former United States Army officer who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001.

H. Hugh Shelton
Shelton, U.S. Army
Born	(1942-01-02) 2 January 1942 Tarboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1963–2001
Rank	General
Commands held	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff United States Special Operations Command XVIII Airborne Corps 82nd Airborne Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Invasion of Panama Gulf War Operation Uphold Democracy War on Terror
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (4) Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (4, with "V" Device) Purple Heart

Early life, family and education

Shelton was born in Tarboro, North Carolina.[2] Shelton attended North Carolina State University,[1] and was a member of Pershing Rifles. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in textile engineering[1] while earning his Army commission through Reserve Officers' Training Corps training. Shelton's further education includes a Master of Science degree in political science from Auburn University at Montgomery[1] in 1973 as well as studies at the Air Command and Staff College and the National War College.[3] Shelton married Carolyn L. Johnson in 1963; the pair have three sons together.[3]

Military service

Shelton served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War[1] with the 5th Special Forces Group, and with the 173rd Airborne Brigade,[4] followed by a series of command and staff assignments. Following the Gulf War, Shelton commanded the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in his home state of North Carolina.[1] In 1993, he was given command of XVIII Airborne Corps.[1] Shelton led the Joint Task Force responsible for Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti in 1994.[4] In 1996, Shelton, a Special Forces soldier, was promoted to the rank of general and the position of Commander in Chief of United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). He was the first Graduate of the U.S. Army Special Forces Program to command SOCOM.

Upon the retirement of John M. Shalikashvili, Shelton was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 1 October 1997.[5] Shelton led the planning of the Kosovo War in 1999 during his time in office. Later he coined the phrase "Dover test", testing the support for a war based on the reaction of the people after seeing American casualties returning at the Dover Air Force Base.[6] During the events of 11 September 2001, Shelton was flying on-board Boeing C-135 Speckled Trout, traveling to a NATO meeting in Europe, but turned back and returned to Washington.[7][8] Upon entering the United States Airspace, the C-135 did fly passing the World Trade Center ground zero so Shelton was able to assess the situation following the attack.[7] Already scheduled to retire in October, Shelton spent his last weeks in office coordinating military plans to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan and helping to develop an interagency strategy to defeat, disrupt, and degrade terrorist activities around the world. These would form the basis of Operation Enduring Freedom and the global War on Terror.[8] Upon Shelton's end of term, President George W. Bush nominated then-Vice Chairman Air Force General Richard Myers, who was sworn in on 1 October 2001.

Post-military career

In 2002 Shelton founded the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Center at North Carolina State University. The center was created to "inspire, educate, and develop values-based leaders, both locally and globally, committed to personal integrity, professional ethics, and selfless service."

In his retirement, Shelton joined the Board of Directors of Red Hat in April 2003, and was elected that board's chairman in 2010.[9][10] He also holds directorships at Anheuser Busch, Anteon International and Protective Products of America. At his alma mater of North Carolina State University, the General Hugh Shelton Leadership Center was founded in 2002, which grants scholarships to people who are committed to personal integrity, professional ethics, and selfless service.[11]

Shelton also served as an advisor to Senator John Edwards' presidential campaign from 2003–2004.[12] Shelton created a minor controversy for 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, a subordinate of Shelton's during the 1999 Kosovo military actions, when he stated: "I will tell you the reason [Clark] came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote," casting doubt upon Clark's candidacy.[12][13]

On 1 March 2008, Shelton announced his endorsement of Senator Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, stating, "I've been with Senator Clinton when she has been with our military men and women. I know from those experiences that she understands the demands and sacrifice of military life. I am confident she will always put the readiness and well being of our troops first. She is ready to be Commander-in-Chief." Shelton was the second Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to endorse Clinton, the first being General John Shalikashvili.[14]

On 12 October 2010, Shelton published his autobiography, Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior, along with coauthors Ron Levinson and Malcolm McConnell.[15] An excerpt tells the story of a high-ranking Clinton Cabinet member proposing that Shelton intentionally allow an American pilot to be killed by the Iraqis to have an excuse to retaliate and go to war.[16] The book also tells of Bill Clinton's tearful confession to Shelton;[17] a time during the Clinton administration when a close Clinton aide lost possession of the biscuit (top secret presidential nuclear launch authorization codes);[18] details of a contentious Camp David meeting among George W. Bush and his National Security Council immediately after 9/11, where internal battle lines were drawn.[19] His book also says there were multiple attempts to kill Osama bin Laden that were shot down by Madeleine Albright.

On 27 August 2010, a statue of Shelton was unveiled and dedicated at the Airborne Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC. The statue was commissioned and donated by H. Ross Perot.[20]

On 24 October 2010, Shelton appeared on This Week with Christiane Amanpour, on 6 December 2010, on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and on 30 December 2010, on The Charlie Rose Show on PBS and Bloomberg TV, to promote the publication of his memoir.[21]

On 20 October 2012, Shelton was honored at the 6th Annual Brian & Kendra's Bluegrass Party in Speed, North Carolina. He was presented with a Distinguished Achievements plaque and a roadside display at the entrance of Speed, honoring his hometown and acknowledging his achievements.

Shelton and his wife, Carolyn, established the Hugh and Carolyn Shelton Military Neurotrauma Foundation in 2005 to fund research into traumatic brain injury among military personnel.[22]

Decorations and badges

Shelton's decorations and medals include:

Badge	Combat Infantryman Badge
Badge	Master Parachutist Badge
Badge	Special Forces Tab		Ranger Tab
1st Row Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ 3 oak leaf clusters		Distinguished Service Medal w/ 2 oak leaf clusters
2nd Row Awards	Legion of Merit w/ 1 oak leaf clusters	Bronze Star w valor device & 3 oak leaf clusters	Purple Heart	Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 oak leaf clusters
3rd Row Awards	Air Medal w/ "2" device	Army Commendation Medal w/ 3 oak leaf clusters	National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 service stars	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
4th Row Awards	Vietnam Service Medal w/ 4 bronze service star	Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ 2 service stars	Army Service Ribbon	Army Overseas Service Ribbon
5th Row Awards	Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ bronze star	Vietnam Campaign Medal	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)	Kuwait Liberation Medal
Badge	Pathfinder Badge		Military Free Fall Parachute Badge
Badge	Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge		Air Assault Badge
Badge	Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia		German Parachutist Badge in bronze
Unit Awards	US Army Presidential Unit Citation	US Navy Presidential Unit Citation	Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Unit Awards	Meritorious Unit Commendation	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation	Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation

References

1. "Biography of Henry Hugh Shelton". Associated Press; The Dispatch. 21 September 1994. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
2. "Who Did That Sign Say?" p. 4 Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
3. Stout, David (17 September 1997). "Man in the News: Henry Hugh Shelton; General Who Sets Pace". NY Times. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
4. "Ex-Joint Chiefs chair undergoes spinal surgery". CNN. 29 May 2002. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
5. Stout, David; (1997) pg.1
6. "Time to take the Dover test". CNN. 3 November 2003. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
7. Shelton, Hugh (12 October 2010). Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312599058.
8. "Joint Chiefs of Staff > About > the Joint Staff > Chairman > General Henry Hugh Shelton".
9. "General Hugh Shelton Elected Chairman of Red Hat Board of Directors". Red Hat, INc. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
10. Alan M. Wolf (30 August 2010). "Red Hat names Gen. Shelton as chairman". News & Observer (Raleigh). Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
11. "About Us".
12. Arkin, William (7 December 2003). "The General Unease With Wesley Clark". LA Times. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
13. "Los Altos Town Crier – Gen. Shelton shocks Celebrity Forum, says he won't support Clark for president". Losaltosonline.com. 24 September 2003. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
15. "General Hugh Shelton – News". Hughshelton.com. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
16. http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/15/clinton_official_iraq_hugh_shelton
17. "Bill Clinton Wept Over the Monica Lewinsky Scandal – Washington Whispers (usnews.com)". Politics.usnews.com. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
18. Lauren Frayer Contributor (7 December 1941). "General: Clinton Lost 'The Biscuit' – Nuclear Codes". Aolnews.com. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
19. Tencer, Daniel (13 October 2010). "Ex-top soldier: Iraq war 'fiasco' due to Rumsfeld's 'lies'". Raw Story. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
20. "100827-02 Gen. Hugh Shelton statue dedicated at ASOM". News.soc.mil. 27 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
21. "Gen. Shelton on Jon Stewart: Extended Interview With Opinions on WikiLeaks, Iran, DADT". Huffingtonpost.com. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
22. "The Hugh and Carolyn Shelton Military Neurotrauma Foundation". The Hugh and Carolyn Shelton Military Neurotrauma Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2015.

External links

• Army biography and career summary
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Military offices
Preceded by John Shalikashvili	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1997–2001	Succeeded by Richard Myers