Brig. Gen. David G. “Baja” Shoemaker is the Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. As the Deputy Director for Operations, he is the deputy principal military operations advisor to USINDOPACOM Commander for joint/combined military operations in USINDOPACOM. In this position, he monitors the disposition and readiness of assigned U.S. forces and allies, conducts joint/combined training and recommends employment options during crisis or contingency.

General Shoemaker was commissioned in 1994 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. After an initial assignment as an Air Surveillance Officer in the E-3 at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., he was selected for Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, followed by F-16 training at Luke AFB, Ariz. He has held a variety of F-16 assignments including Chief of Standardization and Evaluation for the 8th Operations Group, Director of Operations for the 35th Fighter Squadron, and Chief of Safety for the 388th Fighter Wing. He commanded the 421st Fighter Squadron “Black Widows” at Hill AFB, Utah and the 8th Fighter Wing "Wolf Pack" at Kunsan Air Base, Korea.

General Shoemaker is a command pilot with more than 2,000 pilot hours in the T-37, T-38, and F-16A/B/C/D. He has flown in operations Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom, logging 100 combat sorties in the F-16. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces.

EDUCATION

1994 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Master of Military Art and Science degree, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Superior graduate, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Strategic Studies degree, School of Advanced Military Studies (Advanced Operational Studies Fellowship), Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2016 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2019 Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander Course, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

ASSIGNMENTS

1. September 1994 – March 1995, Student, Undergraduate Controller Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2. March 1995 – June 1999, Evaluator Air Surveillance Officer, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
3. June 1999 – January 2001, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and Fighter Introduction, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. January 2001 – October 2001, Student, F-16 Replacement Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. October 2001 – October 2005, Flight Commander and Instructor Pilot, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
6. October 2005 – December 2006, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. January 2007 – December 2007, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. December 2007 – July 2010, Instructor and Director of Operations, Air Force Element, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. July 2010 – August 2011, Director of Operations, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
10. September 2011 – May 2012, Chief of Safety, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
11. May 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
12. June 2014 – June 2015, Advanced Operational Studies Fellow, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
13. July 2015 – May 2017, Vice Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
14. May 2017 – June 2018, Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
15. June 2018 – June 2019, Executive Assistant to the Commander, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
16. June 2019 – June 2020, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
17. June 2020 – Present, Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. December 2007 – July 2010, Instructor and Director of Operations, Air Force Element, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan, as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2020 – present, Deputy Director for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a brigadier general

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,900
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16A/B/C/D, E-3B/C (aircrew)

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Outstanding Unit Award with “V” Device
Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit (Samil Medal)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major Sept. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2009
Colonel July 1, 2015
Brigadier General Frocked


(Current as of June 2020)

Last Updated: 24 February 2025