Lt. Col. (Ret.) James Shutt

By Amy TurnerOctober 5, 2023

2023 Hall of Fame Inductee

Murray State University (1983)

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Lt. Col. (Ret.) James S. Shutt was born on December 2, 1961, in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. He attended Murray State University and completed a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering.

Shutt commissioned on May 14, 1983. He has served in a variety of command and staff assignments in the Infantry branch, both in the United States and overseas. His past assignments included: Rifle Platoon leader, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Ranger Instructor, 1st Ranger Company, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Observer-Controller, National Training Center, California, Battalion Operations Officer, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks Hawaii, and Deputy Brigade Commander, Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Benning, GA.

Shutt is a graduate of the Infantry Officer's Basic and Advance Courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, and Command and General Staff College (both Army and Air Force), as well as Airborne School, Northern Warfare Junior Leaders Course, Air Transport of Hazardous Material Course, Air load Planners Course, Anti - Armor Leaders Course, the Ranger Course, the TRADOC Instructor Qualification Course, the Observer-Controller's Course, the OPFOR Academy, and the Jumpmaster Course.

He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, California, and a Masters in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

After 24 years in service, Shutt retired in 2007. His awards and decorations include The Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense medal, the Overseas Ribbon, the Multinational Forces and Observers medal, the Novice, Senior, and Master Parachutist’s Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman's badge, the Driver's badge, the Army Achievement Medal (three awards) the Army Commendation medal (2 awards) and the Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards).

Shutt was hired as the Deputy of Brigade Operations (DBO), at 4th Brigade ROTC, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on November 24, 2008. Prior to being hired as the DBO he had worked with United States Army Cadet Command for eight years, four as the Professor of Military Science at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, two as the Brigade Executive Officer at 4th Brigade, and two as Senior Army Instructor (JROTC) at Southern Lee High School, Sanford, North Carolina.

As the DBO, Shutt has executed endless efforts with a myriad of accomplishments. He is the pillar to the organization resulting in 13 years of achieving its commission mission. He established guidelines, directives, and priorities for 4th Brigade to continue to be overwhelmingly successful. He demonstrated outstanding leadership by successfully resourcing personnel though command directed growth and reduction while incorporating multiple elements of the brigade staff; conducting accurate analysis of both commissioning and contracting missions for multiple cohorts across varying years, campuses, and mission sets. His herculean efforts have masterfully postured 4th Brigade to meet and exceed mission in the out years. As a testament to his foresight and acumen, 4th Brigade achieved its largest contracting and commission mission in history for MS19, 820/700 respectively resulting in an associated retention rate of 89%.

About the Army ROTC Hall of Fame

The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The first class (2016) inducted 326 former ROTC Cadets who had distinguished themselves in their military or civilian career.

The Hall of Fame honors graduates of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. It provides a prestigious and tangible means of recognizing and honoring Army ROTC Alumni who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Nation, the Army and the history and traditions of the Army ROTC Program.

Read more about the 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees.