Major Shane Bladen is a native of Michigan and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant via the Officer Candidate Course program in December, 2005.
Upon completing The Basic School and Air Support Control Officer Course in 2006, Second Lieutenant Bladen reported to Marine Air Support Squadron 1 (MASS-1) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. After checking into MASS-1, he was immediately assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to serve as the Air Support Element (ASE) Officer in Charge (OIC). While deployed with the 22nd MEU, the ASE supported Operation Sea Angel II, a humanitarian assistance/disaster relief mission in Bangladesh.
After returning from his first deployment in January 2008, First Lieutenant Bladen served as the Squadron Training Officer at MASS-1 until he transferred to Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 28 in preparation for deployment. In 2009, First Lieutenant Bladen was a Close Battle Cell Coordinator in the Tactical Air Command Center while deployed to Al Asad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
After returning from Afghanistan, First Lieutenant Bladen transferred back to MASS-1 and served as the Assistant Operations Officer until he deployed in support of OEF in 2011. While deployed to Afghanistan, he served as the OIC of the ASE attached to Regimental Combat Team 1 at Camp Dwyer. Shortly after returning from Afghanistan, Captain Bladen received permanent change of station (PCS) orders to the Pentagon.
Captain Bladen executed PCS orders to the Joint Guam Program Office (JGPO) in March 2012. While assigned to JGPO, Captain Bladen served as the Assistant Director of Operations. In October 2014, Captain Bladen was selected on the Commandant’s Career Level Education Board and subsequently slated to attend the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy at Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California.
In May 2015, Captain Bladen reported to NPS. While at NPS, Major Bladen studied Defense Systems Analysis and earned an outstanding thesis award. He graduated from NPS with distinction earning a Master of Science in Management degree in December 2016. Additionally, Major Bladen graduated with distinction from the Naval War College at NPS in December 2016.
After graduating from NPS, Major Bladen reported to Headquarters Marine Corps, Programs and Resources (HQMC P&R) to complete a utilization tour. While assigned to HQMC P&R, Major Bladen served as a Program Analyst where he led multiple studies to inform Marine Requirement Oversight Council decisions.
Major Bladen holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science and Administration from Western Michigan University, Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan – Dearborn, and Master of Science in Management from NPS. His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star.