2018 Hall of Honor

​VADM Shelanski retired having achieved the highest rank of anyone in history from the Hawkeye Greyhound Community. Throughout his distinguished career he continually bettered the community and his success in his career helped the community ascend to new levels of respect, prestige and importance for the warfighting capability of the United States military. This resulted in Community personnel ascending to billets and ranks here to fore considered unattainable and the platform gaining enhanced capabilities and increased responsibilities in Naval Warfare.
    VADM Shelanski excelled at every level during his career demonstrating his immense talents and potential.  As a Lt. he was selected as Hawkeye of the Year in 1985. As Commanding Officer of the “Bluetails” of VAW 121he lead the Command to win the coveted Battle “E”, the AEW Excellence Award and the CNO Safety Award.  Due to his exceptional performance and academic background he was selected to the nuclear power program and was the first Executive Officer of the USS Ronald Regan(CVN 76) and the Commanding Officer of the USS Harry S. Truman(CVN 75) where his leadership resulted in the Truman winning the Battle “E”, the CNO Safety Award and the Secretary of Defense  Large Category  Maintenance Award. Again, due to his performance he was selected to Flag Rank and to Command Carrier Strike Group 10-the first person ever from the Hawkeye Greyhound Community to Command a Carrier Strike Group.
    Throughout his career VADM Shelanski broke barriers and set precedence for the Community and those that would follow him opening avenues for positions and accompanying promotions that here to fore had been unavailable to the community. VADM Shelanski represented the Community on several Aviation Command Boards and Aviation Major Command Boards.  His accomplishments, his credibility and his exceptional reputation throughout Naval Aviation allowed him to support Community members for Initial Command and for Major Command billets at sea as Air Wing Commanders and Carrier Commanding Officers and Ashore as base Commanding Officers or Wing Commanders. Deserving Community personnel at previously unprecedented numbers ascended into Major Command Billets at Sea and Ashore positioning them for selection to Flag Rank and positions of leadership in the Navy.
    In addition to promoting and supporting the community while in Command billets at sea VADM Shelanski supported and promoted the community in key ashore billets such as Senior Military Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for assessments.  VADM Shelanski’ s reputation, performance and operational acumen reemphasized the value of the Hawkeye Greyhound Community and the platform they operated to the warfare capability of the military.  This resulted in enhanced capabilities and responsibilities for the community and its platform and increased funding to bring those capabilities to the Fleet.  In leading the 2014 Defense Quadrennial Review and in leading 2 elite research teams which evaluated emerging technological threats and how to counter them his credibility, his reputation, his vision and his unique ability to form and convey strategies placed the community and its platform in key positions in US Military warfare in the present and well into the future.
    Throughout his distinguished career VADM Shelanski never forgot or neglected his roots.  He was always available to the Community as a mentor, a role model and advisor. He always responded to requests for assistance whenever asked whether it was an individual seeking career advice or to the Community leadership seeking advise as they faced challenges in operations, funding or logistics.
    VADM Shelanski’ s humility, his strongest character trait of truly caring for people, his leadership style and his proven performance made him approachable and admired and respected by not only the Hawkeye Greyhound community but throughout the Navy, the Military and the Department of Defense which significantly benefitted the Hawkeye Greyhound community.  VADM Shelanski served as an inspiration for the community and paved the way and gave hope to Community personnel as they pursued their careers.
    For his many contributions to the Hawkeye Greyhound Community in the areas of personnel upward mobility and in enhancing the communities’ platform with increased capabilities, responsibilities and priority in funding to achieve these capabilities it is entirely fitting that VADM Shelanski be selected for the Hawkeye Greyhound Hall of Honor. Throughout his career VADM Shelanski has been a community pioneer and leader and has contributed significantly to the Community’s success.