LCDR Shumaker is a graduate of Purdue University
with a Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry. He enlisted in the Naval Aviation Officer
Candidate School
and received his commission in the Naval Reserve as an Ensign in 1982. He
attended basic flight school in Training Squadron 10, intermediate and advanced
Overwater Jet Navigation in Training Squadron 86, and received his Naval Flight
Officer Wings in December 1983. He was assigned to Air Antisubmarine Squadron (VS-41),
the training squadron for the S3A Viking aircraft and received his
qualifications in the aircraft in December of 1984.
His first squadron
assignment was VS-21. Squadron duties included Squadron Legal Officer,
Assistant Training Officer and Enlisted Advancement Programs Officer. The VS-21
“Redtails” deployed aboard the USS Enterprise in 1986 to the Indian Ocean,
transited the Suez Canal, and returned
following a six months deployment. During his squadron tour, he acquired nearly
300 carrier landings and 1200 flight hours. His follow on shore duties included
an assignment to Sea Based Weapons and Tactics school where he conducted
squadron inspections in Electronic Warfare and was a simulator instructor for
advanced squadron training.
Joining the USS
Midway in December of 1990 in the Gulf, he was assigned as Assistant Strike
Operations Officer, responsible for the planning, publishing and execution of
the daily flight schedule for the ship’s air wing and the Midway Battle Group, as
well as coordination with other Coalition air assets during the Persian Gulf
War. Following the Midway’s return to San
Diego in September 1991, he was reassigned to the USS
Ranger and deployed again in March of 1992 and served as the Operations
Electronics Data systems division officer.
Upon returning to the
U.S.,
LCDR Shumaker was assigned as a staff member of the Commander of Training
Pacific. His next sea tour was with Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, where he
served as the Detachment Operations Officer aboard USS Tarawa and was the Navy air
planning representative for Exercise Cobra Gold with the Royal Thai Navy. His
last shore duty was assignment to Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific
where he served as the Navy representative at the Marine Forward
Air Control
School. During this time he
helped train numerous Marine and Navy aircrew, and Navy SEALs in Forward Air
Control. As the Navy Air Liaison Officer he coordinated air assets from Marine,
Navy and Air Force Units to support live air control at MCAGCCS 29 Palms for
the air control exercises. As the Navy representative he provided instruction
at the Air Force Control School at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas to Air Force Controllers on the
Navy-Marine Air Control structure. During this time, he completed a masters
program and received an MA in Organizational Leadership.
His final sea duty
was with Tactical Air Control Squadron 12 detachment out of White Beach
Okinawa, Japan. He retired in August of 2002 after starting as the Senior Naval
Science Instructor at Los Alamos
High School. Personal
decorations include the Navy Commendation medal 5 awards, the Navy Achievement Medal,
Distinguished Marksman Pistol and Rifle. His is a level III International Air
Rifle Coach as well as 7 other marksmanship instructor qualifications. He has
two daughters, one living in Boston and the
other in Greensburg Indiana. He and his wife Jane reside in Los Alamos.
