meet our instructors!
SENior army instructor
Major (ret.) Jeff shelnutt
MAJ Shelnutt was born and raised in Austin, TX and enlisted the Army in 1989 as a Combat Engineer. In 1994 he converted to the Infantry and spent the rest of his career as an Infantryman and Infantry Officer. He commissioned through the Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, GA in 2002 and retired in 2019.
Major Shelnutt has been stationed all over the world to include Germany, the Republic of Korea, Ft. Benning,GA, Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. Stewart, GA, Ft. Carson, CO, and Ft. Sam Houston, TX. During his career he deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of NATO Peacekeeping Operations and has three combat tours: Iraq (OIF I / OIF V) and Afghanistan.
Along with his extensive Military Education, MAJ Shelnutt has a Master's in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in History with a Minor in Political Science from Austin Peay St. University.
He is married to Karyn (who is the District Lead SLP) and has five children, a golden doodle, and a fish.
army instructor
Sergeant Major (RET)
Jerald E. Phillips
Sergeant Major Jerald E. Phillips is a native of Compton, California. He entered the U.S Army in February of 1992 and attended Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He completed his Advanced Individual Training in Logistics at Fort Lee, Virginia. His served for over 31 years.
Sergeant Major Phillips has been assigned to various locations which include; Fulda, Germany, Fort Hood, TX, Schofield Barracks, HI, Fort McClellan, AL, Fort Lewis, WA, Johnstown, PA, Reading, PA, back to Fort Lewis, WA, Fort Lee, VA, Mesa, AZ, Fort Meade, MD, and Fort Eustis, VA. He deployed to Uzbekistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) to Iraq.
Sergeant Major Phillips’ instructional background began in 2004 as an Army Instructor at the Henry H. Lind Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at Fort Lewis, WA. He earned his certification as a STRYKER Land Systems instructor, being certified to instruct on 5 of the 10 STRYKER variants.
His awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd award), Army Commendation Medal (11th award), Army Achievement Medal (6th award), Good Conduct Medal (9th award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd award), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2nd award), Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (5th award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4th award), Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Air Assault badge, Distinguished Order of Saint Martin Medal, the U.S Army Recruiter Badge, and the Army Driver Mechanic Badge (2nd award).
He is married to Lauren (Army retired First Sergeant) and together they have three children: Daniel, David, and Darius. Sergeant Major Phillips became part of the Alamo Heights JROTC in February 2023 and was officially assigned as the Army Instructor in July 2023.
