Maj. Gen. Donna D. Shipton serves as the Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analyses, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. She is responsible for command-wide strategic planning, programming, enterprise analyses, wargaming, and operational requirements. She governs the Program Objective Memorandum process for AFMC, Agile Combat Support requirements, and the Weapons Systems Sustainment components worth more than $40 billion.
Maj. Gen. Shipton received her commission in 1991 as a distinguished graduate of Air Force ROTC after graduating from Clemson University. During her career, she has served in a variety of positions including Program Manager, Fleet Manager, Squadron and Group Commander, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Senior Military Assistant, Senior Materiel Leader and Air Force Program Executive Officer.
Prior to her current position, Maj. Gen. Shipton was the Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, California, with duty as the Air Force Deputy PEO for Space, and PEO for Space Enterprise. 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. The Space and Missile Systems Center is the nation’s center of technical expertise for military space acquisition with approximately 6,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $9 billion.
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, The 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 Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
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, National Reconnaissance Office, 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
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, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. June 2003–May 2004, Speechwriter, Under Secretary of the Air Force (dual-hatted as Director, NRO), Secretary of the Air Force/Air Force Chief of Staff 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, Senior Developmental Education Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. 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, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2017–June 2019, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Tankers, Tanker Directorate, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. June 2019–June 2020, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, U.S. Space Force, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. with duty as Air Force Deputy PEO for Space and PEO for Space Enterprise
17. July 2020–present, Director, Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analyses, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2010–June 2012, F-35 Fleet Manager, Logistics and Sustainment Directorate, Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 9, 1992
First Lieutenant May 9, 1994
Captain May 9, 1996
Major Nov. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2006
Colonel Sep. 1, 2011
Brigadier General Aug. 2, 2017
Major General Jul. 3, 2020
(Current as of September 2020)