Colonel warder L. Shires united states air force

COLONEL WARDER L. SHIRES

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Colonel Shires is retired and now resides in Lincoln, Nebraska
Colonel Shires was born and raised on a farm near Red Oak, Iowa. After completing the AFROTC program here at Nebraska, Colonel Shires began his pilot training at Reese AFB, Texas, in 1955. A year later he went through instructor pilot training at Craig AFB, Alabama, and became an Instructor Pilot. His career as an Air Force pilot consisted primarily of duties as a pilot and instructor pilot in various types of military aircraft. Some of Colonel Shires flight experiences are fighters, bombers, transporters, tankers, and airborne command post aircraft. He also served as an aircraft maintenance officer and as commander of an aircraft maintenance squadron. Colonel Shires has served overseas tours in England, Turkey, and Germany and flew combat missions in Vietnam earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals. He has acquired over 8,000 hours of flying experiences in the Air Force with more than half as an instructor pilot, and has accumulated 11,500 hours of flight time at this date. From May 1976 until July 1977, Colonel Shires went back to school and earned a MS degree in Agricultural Education, after which he became a faculty member serving 23 years as an Extension Educator. His responsibilities included the planning, development, and implementation of educational programs related to the production, marketing and management of agricultural commodities grown in assigned counties of Nebraska. Such programs were oriented to the preservation of natural resources and the environment. Primary areas of emphasis included adult and youth leadership development, agricultural production and environmental programs. Colonel Shires now serves as the Director of Standardization Evaluation for the Nebraska wing of the Civil Air Patrol. As a pilot, Colonel Shires have over 11550 flight hours, over half as an instructor pilot. He flew the T-6, TB-25, T-28, T-33, T-29, T-39, B-47, C-46, C-47, C-54, C-119, C-123, F-80, EC-135C, and the KC-135.
EDUCATION:

Jan 1954 Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

May 1977 Masters of Science in Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

The Air Medal (Fourth Oak Leaf Cluster) Vietnam, 1971

The Distinguished Flying Cross (First Oak Leaf Cluster) Vietnam 1971

The Air Force Commendation Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) Offutt AFB, Nebraska 1975

The Civil Air Patrol Meritorious Service Award, Feb 1998

The City of Lincoln Meritorious Service Citation, Apr 2000

Awarded Professor Emeritus, University of Nebraska, Apr 2000

The Civil Air Patrol Gill Robb Wilson Award, Mar 2000

The Civil Air Patrol Distinguished Service Award, Feb 2005

The Nebraska National Guard Homeland Defense Service Ribbon, March 2005

EFFECTIVE PROMOTION DATES:


US Navy Reserve

Second Lieutenant

First Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Lieutenant Colonel

Colonel

December 1 1950 – January 31, 1952

January 30, 1954

September 29, 1955

January 1, 1960

March 29, 1968

January 15, 1996

January 30, 2004