Lt. Col. Matthew A. Shelly, USAF, is a strategic war planner in the Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate at United States Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. In this role, he develops Presidentially directed contingency plans, integrating capabilities across all 11 Combatant Commands to provide strategic options to senior national leaders.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Shelly was homeschooled by his parents, Mark and Deb Shelly. He earned his commission through Air Force ROTC Detachment 270 at K-State in 2005 while completing a bachelor of science in aeronautical science from the College of Technology and Aviation at K-State Salina. He is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flight hours in the T-6, T-38C, A-10C, and MQ-9, including extensive combat and combat support experience in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Shelly and his wife, Bethany ’09, have four sons, Maxwell, Baron, Winston and Otto. They live in Honolulu, Hawaii.