Meet the commander - Lt. Col. Andrew Shurtleff

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ty-Rico Lea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- --  Since having childhood aspirations of becoming an astronaut in Brookfield, Wisc., to taking the role of commander of the 325th Operations Support Squadron at Tyndall,  Lt. Col. Andrew Shurtleff was always  aware of his family's military lineage.

"My father enlisted into the Army during Vietnam and one of my uncles enlisted into the Navy for a short time," Shurtleff said. "Both my grandfathers also served, one in the Army and another in the Marine Corps."

Shurtleff is the first officer in his family as well as the first to serve in the Air Force. He is the older of two sons.

Before commissioning in December 1999, Shurtleff attended Brookfield Central High School where he participated in school theatrical plays like "The Wizard of Oz" and "My Fair Lady" and ran on the cross-country team.  Central High School is also where he met his wife; they've been married for 14 years and have two sons.

He is a graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., where he studied aerospace engineering on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and has since served 16 years in the Air Force.

"From as far back as I can remember, I always loved looking up at the sky and watching planes go by," Shurtleff said. "So anything I could do to fly jets and put me on a path to become an astronaut is what I really wanted to do."

Some of his hobbies include running and participating in triathlons. When not staying fit to fight, he also enjoys camping and flying civilian airplanes.

"I began my Air Force career as a student pilot at Sheppard AFB, Texas, prior to being stationed here at Tyndall to learn how to fly the F-15." he said. "After my first operational assignment, I returned to Tyndall and began instructing other future pilots on how to employ the aircraft as well as the F-22 Raptor."

Some of the most memorable moments of his Air Force career were when he could make a difference in the lives of his fellow wingmen.

"I have the opportunity as a leader to provide advice, big or small, to subordinates," he said. "There are times when people are faced with making big decisions that will more than likely affect them down the road. It is extremely rewarding when you know you can help someone."

When asked where he pictured himself 10 years ago, Shurtleff expressed that he just wanted be the best pilot and officer he could possibly be.

"At the time I wasn't concerned with becoming a squadron commander," he said. "As a first lieutenant, I always understood my role and used my time to learn the ins and outs of the F-15 Eagle and help others in the squadron."

"Since taking command I really look forward to seeing what this squadron and its incredible people can accomplish," Shurtleff said. "Every single day when I come to base there are always new experiences that make a positive impact not only in this squadron, but also with other organizations we work closely with."

Shurtleff offered some advice to new Airmen starting out, as well as those continuing their careers.

"As an Airman, you are always expected to live by the core-values and be an example to those around you," he said. "Also, one should always be aware of their role in accomplishing their mission. You have to understand what the wing mission is. You have to understand what you unit's mission is. And you have to understand the roles you play to make that mission a success."