Colonel Steve “Scuba” Shinkel joined the NSA Department in July 2017. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1990. He is a Master Navigator, with over 3,200 hours in the KC-135 and has numerous operational flying deployments supporting operations across the Middle East, Europe, and the Pacific regions and served Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) positions. His most recent assignment was as the Chief of Staff for the 9th AETF-A & NATO Air Command-A, Kabul Afghanistan. Col Shinkel served as the AWC’s Chair of the Leadership and Warfighting Department. He is a distinguished graduate of the USAF Weapon’s School and served on faculty. He commanded the 734th AMS, Andersen AFB Guam.