Colonel (Ret.) David Shanahan joined the Asia Pacific Center in December 2004, while still on active duty.  He served in roles as Transnational Studies Department Chairman, Acting Deputy Director, and assumed duties as Deputy Dean upon his Army retirement in April 2006.  His academic interests are in Globalization and Security Sector Reform and has both lectured and participated in Center outreach events on these topics. 

Prior to his arrival at the center he was assigned for 3 years as the Chief of Staff of U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) at Ft Shafter Hawaii.  There he oversaw the post 9/11 evolution of USARPAC’s role in providing the base to PACOM’s Joint Task Force Homeland Defense. During his tenure USARPAC readied and deployed the preponderance its assigned forces in operational support to the Global War on Terrorism.  As well he oversaw implementation of the Army’s many Transformation initiatives in the Pacific most notably the formation of two stationing of Stryker Brigades. 

Colonel (ret) Shanahan was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon his graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1976. He served in a succession of Infantry troop assignments culminating with command of 1^st BN 21^st Infantry, 25^th Infantry Division.  While in troop leading positions, Colonel Shanahan participated in numerous Joint and Combined training exercises within the U.S. as well as Japan, Korea, Australia, Philippines, Spain, Germany, and Panama. 

In 1995 he was assigned to the Pentagon, initially to the Army Staff, and later to Joint Staff’s Directorate for Force Structure Resources and Assessments (J8).  In 1998 he was assigned to Heidelberg Germany where he assumed command of NATO’s Allied Land Forces Central Europe (LANDCENT) Support Group. 

Colonel (ret) Shanahan was operationally deployed to: the Sinai in 1990-91 as part of the Multinational Force and Observers; to Hurricane Relief operations on Kauai in 1992, and in support of both SFOR and KFOR in the Balkans.  In KFOR for seven months in 1999-2000 he commanded a multinational force of 2000 soldiers and civilians comprising 13 nationalities. 

He is a graduate of U.S. Army Command and General Staff College ‘90, U.S. Army War College fellowship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies ‘95, and is a graduate of APCSS Executive Course 04-3.  He has BS in Engineering from USMA ‘76, and an MA in International Relations from the Naval Postgraduate School ‘86.

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Last updated: 06/23/2008