| Shelton served as the 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 until his retirement in 2001. The NC State alumnus and Tarboro native is a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War and was the first member of the elite U.S. Army Special Forces – the Green Berets – to rise to the nation's top military post. Before serving as the principal military advisor to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council, Shelton was commander in chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command, overseeing the Green Berets and the Navy Seals.
 Shelton earned his commission through the Reserve Officers Training Corps at NC State, where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in textile engineering. He also earned a master's degree in political science from Auburn University, as well as completed training at the Air Command and Staff College and the National War College.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters), Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster), Bronze Star Medal with V device (with 3 oak leaf clusters), Purple Heart and the Congressional Gold Medal .
Shelton now leads NC State's H. Hugh Shelton Initiative for Leadership Development. The initiative offers executive development programs, faculty and student leadership development experiences and youth development conferences. It is anchored by an annual seminar series. For more information visit General Henry Hugh Shelton Initiative for Leadership Development.
Shelton is married to Tarboro native Carolyn Johnson Shelton. They have three sons, Jon, Jeff and Mark.
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