Colonel Shane P. Muscato is the Commander of the 479th Flying Training Group at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. The Group includes four squadrons, 325 personnel and 45 T-6 Texan II and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft and trains over 300 Combat Systems Officers each year for the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard. Additionally, the Group supports over 1,500 Air Force personnel in the Pensacola, Fla area. Prior to joining the 479 FTG, Colonel Muscato was the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Staff. In this role, he coordinated activities and actions across 13 Joint Staff Directorates and over 3,500 Joint Service and Civilian Personnel. He reviewed and determined the disposition of incoming correspondence to the Director to ensure accuracy, thoroughness, and timelines prior to coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of Defense. Furthermore, he facilitated coordination between the Director, multiple inter-agency offices, Combatant Commands, and Service headquarters. Colonel Muscato was commissioned via the United States Air Force Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He is a master navigator with over 3,100 hours. He has deployed in support of numerous operations including ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and INHERENT RESOLVE. Colonel Muscato has commanded at the squadron level, expeditionary squadron level, and as the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component-Afghanistan Deputy Commander. Col Muscato earned his wings at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas in 2003 and is married to the former Jennifer Phillips of Amherst, NH. They have two children, a daughter Abigail and son Casey.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Bridgewater State College, MA
2004 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
2008 SOF Weapons Instructor Course, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Master of Arts in Education, Touro University International, CA
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Master of Defense Analysis, Naval Postgraduate School, CA
2016 Air War College, by correspondence
2021 Master of National Strategy, National War College, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
August 2002 – March 2004: Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
April 2004 – April 2005: Student, C-130 Training Little Rock, AR and MC-130H Initial Qualification Training, Kirtland AFB, NM
May 2005 – June 2008: Training Officer, Tactics Officer, Instructor Navigator, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
July 2008 – December 2008: Student, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL and Nellis AFB, NV
January 2009 – June 2009: Chief of Tactics, Instructor Navigator, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
July 2009 – June 2011: Chief of Tactics, Flight Commander, Evaluator Navigator 15th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
July 2011 – June 2014: Stan/Eval Officer, Executive Officer, Deputy Chief Stan/Eval, 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, FL
July 2014 – December 2015: Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
January 2016 – January 2018: Operations Officer, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
February 2018 – May 2019: Commander, 15th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
June 2019 – June 2020: Director, Commander’s Action Group, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL
July 2020 – June 2021: Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
July 2021 – May 2022: Strategic Planner, Joint Force Development Team, Joint Force Integration, Joint Staff J-7, Arlington, VA
May 2022 – July 2023: Deputy Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff, Arlington, VA
July 2023 – January 2024: Division Chief, Special Operations and Personnel Recovery Capability Development, Headquarters Air Force, Arlington, VA
January 2024 - Present: Commander, 479th Flying Training Group, Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator Flight hours: 3,125 / Combat hours: 735 Aircraft flown: T-43, C-130E, U-28A, AC-130W, and MC-130H
JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
Strategic Planner, Joint Force Development Team, Joint Force Integration, Joint Staff J-7, as a Lieutenant Colonel Deputy Executive Assistant to the Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff, as a Lieutenant Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVMENTS
2005 Distinguished Graduate, MC-130H Initial Qualification Course
2008 Academic Award, SOF Weapons Instructor Course
2010 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
2010 Institute of Navigation Superior Achievement Award
2012 Field Grade Officer of the Year, 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, FL
2013 Colonel Joe Jackson Excellence in Mobility Tactics Award
2014 General George C. Kenney Lessons Learned Award
2021 Air Commando Journal, two articles published
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant: 27 September 2002
First Lieutenant: 27 September 2004
Captain: 27 September 2006
Major: 1 October 2012
Lieutenant Colonel: 1 July 2017
Colonel 1 May 2023