Donna D. Shipton

Donna D. Shipton is a brigadier general in the United States Air Force who formely served as vice commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center of the United States Space Force.[1][2][3] She was responsible for assisting the commander in managing the research, design, development, acquisition, and sustainment of space and missile systems, launch, command and control, and operational satellite systems.[4] Shipton was replaced on June 2020 by D. Jason Cothern.[5]

Donna D. Shipton
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1992–present (27 years)
Rank	Brigadier general
Commands held	Network Operations Group Space Communications Operations Squadron
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3) Meritorious Service Medal (2) Joint Service Commendation Medal (2) Air Force Commendation Medal (2) Joint Service Achievement Medal (2) Air Force Achievement Medal

Shipton received her commission in 1991 as a distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC after graduating from Clemson University, majoring in electrical engineering. Prior to assuming her current position, she was the Air Force Program Executive Officer for tankers at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center where she was responsible for the planning and execution of all life cycle activities for the Air Force tanker fleet.[4]

Education

• 1991 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
• 1995 Master of Business Administration, Chapman University, Orange, Calif.
• 1996 Undergraduate Space and Missile Training - Staff Course, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
• 1998 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2000 Master of Arts in Organizational Management, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
• 2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2005 Master of Space Systems, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
• 2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
• 2010 Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
• 2014 The Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
• 2017 The Executive Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.[4]

Assignments

1. October 1992 - June 1996, Project Engineer and Lead Systems Engineer, GPS Block IIF Satellite System, GPS Joint Program Office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.
2. July 1996 - July 1998, Flight Commander, Operating Division-4, NRO, Onizuka Air Station, Calif.
3. August 1998 - May 2000, Student, Air Force Intern Program, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
4. June 2000 - June 2002, Chief, Satellite Engineering and Operations Branch, Aerospace Data Facility - Colorado, NRO, Buckley AFB, Colo.
5. July 2002 - June 2003, Program Element Monitor, Advanced Reconnaissance Programs, Airborne Reconnaissance Division, Information Dominance Directorate, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, SAF/AQI, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. June 2003 - May 2004, Speechwriter, Under Secretary of the Air Force (dual-hatted as Director, NRO), SECAF/CSAF Executive Action Group, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. June 2004 - June 2005, Intermediate Developmental Education Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. July 2005 - June 2007, Deputy Program Manager and Program Manager, Advanced Space Control Demonstrations, Counterspace Group, Space Superiority Systems Wing, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. June 2007 - June 2009, Commander, Space Communications Operations Squadron, Communications Directorate, NRO, Los Angeles, Calif.
10. July 2009 - June 2010, Secondary Developmental Education Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2010 - July 2012, F-35 Fleet Manager, Logistics and Sustainment Directorate, Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Arlington, Va.
12. August 2012 - April 2014, Commander, Network Operations Group, Mission Operations and Communications Directorates, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
13. April 2014 - June 2015, Senior Materiel Leader, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, C3I&N, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
14. June 2015 - June 2017, Senior Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, SAF/AQI, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2017 - June 2019, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers, Tanker Directorate, AFLCMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. June 2019 - present, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.[4]

Awards and decorations

Shaw is the recipient of the following awards[4]:

Effective dates of promotion

Rank	Date
Second lieutenant	May 9, 1992
First lieutenant	May 9, 1994
Captain	May 9, 1996
Major	November 1, 2002
Lieutenant colonel	December 1, 2006
Colonel	September 1, 2011
Brigadier general	August 2, 2017

References

1. Erwin, Sandra (September 18, 2019). "Air Force confident NDAA will back its launch procurement strategy". SpaceNews. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
2. "AAE students march in Hollywood Christmas Parade". Daily Press. December 11, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
3. "Summer 2019 brings leadership change across Air Force Materiel Command". Dayton Daily News. June 14, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
4. "Brigadier General Donna D. Shipton". United States Air Force. May 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
5. Erwin, Sandra (February 13, 2020). "F-35 program official named No. 2 at Space and Missile Systems Center". SpaceNews. Retrieved July 14, 2020.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

Military offices
Preceded by Philip A. Garrant	Vice Commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center June 2019–June 2020	Succeeded by D. Jason Cothern