JAMES F. SHAMBLEN
Retired Facilities Planner, Office of the TRADOC Engineer Planning Division, Fort Monroe VA. He retired from the US Army in 1994 as a LT Colonel. Jim and Becki live in Hampton VA.
Jim was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1942, and graduated from Nitro High School in 1960. He graduated from West Virginia State College in 1966 with BS in Education with teaching fields in Math and Social Studies and received an Masters in Education Administration from Marshall University in 1977. He is a 1980 graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, and a 1993 graduate of the Army Management Staff College.
Jim served the Army as an Engineer Officer with the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, 39th Combat Engineer Battalion in Viet Nam; Commander Student Officer Detachment at Fort Belvoir; and the 1st Special Forces Group in Okinawa, The Philippines, and Indonesia. He also served with the 12th Engineer Battalion, 8th Infantry Division in Germany; Assistant PMS at Marshall, and HQTRADOC DCSENGR, at Fort Monroe, Va. His USAR assignments were with the 80th Training Division MTC, Huntington Engineer District, HQUSACE, and the Assistant Chief of Engineers and ACSIM at HQDA. He retired from the Army Reserve in 1994 with 29 years’ service. Military awards included the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal w/2 OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/ 2 OLC, Master Parachutist Badge, and Philippine and Indonesian Parachutist Badges.
Jim served as a planner in the TRADOC Engineer form 1983 to his retirement in 2008 and as a retired annuitant until December 2011. Duties involved mobilization, contingency operations, facilities management, master planning, special studies, BRAC, Interservice Training Review Organization (ITRO), Automated Management and Facility Management (AM/FM), Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD), and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). He assisted in the development of Army facilities systems ASIP, RPLANS, EIS, and ISR. He supervised Reserve Engineer IMAs, and supported the 416th Reserve ENCOM Mobilization Planning Support Cell (MPSC). His duties focused on providing adequate barracks and training facilities for the training base and as the Facility Chairman for the ITRO.
His Civilian awards include two Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, the Superior Civilian Service Award, the Commanders Award for Civilian Service, and the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service. He was selected as the AUSA TRADOC Civilian of the Year Award. He also received the Army Engineer Associations De Fleury Medal upon retirement.
He is a member of the American Planning Association, Society of American Military Engineers, and a life member of the Reserve Officer Association, Disabled American Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is also a life member and Secretary of the 39th Combat Engineer Association. He is a member of the St. Andrew Episcopal Church, serves as The Church Treasure, and leads the Church Fishermen. He also drives a van for the DAV providing transportation for veterans to the VA hospital for appointments.
As a Life Member for the 101st Airborne Division Association, he has served as a Combat Support Governor for many years and is on the Reunion Committee. He is also a Life member and Secretary/Treasure of the General William C. Lee Chapter. He served as the Reunion Chairman for the 101st National Reunions in 1999, 2004 and 2009 and the 1st BDE Reunion in 2008. He is presently the Association President, having served as Vice President from 2013-2015. He and Becki have served as Registration leaders for many National Reunions.
