Colonel Theodore "Doc" Shanks currently serves as Deputy Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is comprised of over 3,700 Airmen, coalition, and joint partners at two geographically separated locations providing air mobility, precision strike, personnel recovery, electronic attack, logistics operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets in support of operations throughout Southwest Asia.
Col. Shanks earned his commission from The Ohio State University in 2002 with a degree in Aviation Management and holds a Master of Military Arts degree in Unconventional Warfare and multiple graduate certificates from Georgetown University and Saint Louis University. He earned his wings in 2003 and is now a Command Pilot with over 3,100 hours in the C-21A Learjet, C-17A Globemaster III, and C-130J Super Hercules.
He has commanded at the Squadron level, served as the Provost of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Training Center, Pentagon LNO Director, Air University Dean of Air and Space Force Fellows, and has served on multiple Wing, Major Command, and Combatant Command staffs.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Arts, Aviation Management, The Ohio State University, Ohio.
2007 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2012 Masters of Military Arts with Honors, Unconventional Warfare, American Military Univ., West Virginia.
2013 Graduate, Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2016 Graduate Certificate of Integrated Supply Chain Management, St Louis University, Missouri.
2016 Graduate, Air Force Fellowship, Joint Mobility Fellow (In-Residence IDE), Scott AFB, Illinois.
2017 Graduate Certificate, Professional Senior Leader Speechwriting, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2018 Graduate Certificate, Strategic Communications and Planning, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2022 Graduate, National Defense Fellowship, Watson Institute (In-Residence SDE), Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.July 2002 – August 2003, student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
2.August 2003 – August 2005, C-21A Aircraft Commander, 12th Airlift Flight, Langley AFB, Virginia.
3.August 2005 – September 2007, C-21A Instructor Aircraft Commander, Chief of Mobility, 457th Airlift Squadron, Andrews AFB, Maryland.
4.June 2006 – November 2006 (Deployed), Joint Air Transportation Liaison Officer, Aerial Port Inspection Team Leader, CENTCOM DDOC, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
5.September 2007 – September 2011, 62d Airlift Wing Executive Officer, C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander;8th Airlift Squadron Assistant Operations Officer, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
6.September 2011 – November 2013, Chief, Wing Commander’s Action Group, 97th Air Mobility Wing; C-17A FTU Airdrop Instructor Aircraft Commander, 58th Airlift Squadron; Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
7.November 2013 - May 2014 (Deployed): Chief, Air Mobility Division, CJTF Horn of Africa; Djibouti.
8.May 2014 – June 2015: Interim Director of Operations, 97th Operations Support Squadron; C-17A FTU Instructor, 58th Airlift Squadron; Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
9. June 2015 – July 2016: Air Force Fellow, Joint Mobility Fellowship, Scott AFB, Illinois.
10. July 2016 – May 2017: Joint Strategic Planner, J5/4, US Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
11. May 2017 – July 2018: Chief, Strategic Engagements & Chief, Strategic Integration and Communication, Command Speechwriter, Commander’s Action Group, US Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
12. July 2018 – May 2020: Commander, 97th Training Squadron, and Provost, Air Force Air Mobility Training Center, Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
13. May 2020 – June 2021: Chief, Force and Executive Development, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
14. June 2021 – July 2022: Visiting Faculty & National Defense Fellow, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
15. July 2022 – July 2023: Deputy Director, AF/A3X, Pentagon, Washington, DC.
16. July 2023 – June 2025: Director, AETC Pentagon Liaison Office, Dean of Air & Space Force Fellows, Washington, DC.
17. June 2025 – Present (Deployed): Deputy Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,100
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1A, C-21A, C-17A, C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Humanitarian Service Medal with 2 service stars
US Army Combat Action Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 26 June 2002
First Lieutenant 6 June 2004
Captain 26 June 2006
Major 1 August 2012
Lieutenant Colonel 1 June 2017
Colonel 1 June 2023