By Bill Sheehan
Early in his military career, Dennis Shook received advice from a Marine lieutenant colonel. "Change is the name of the game," he was told. In other words, be adaptable.
He took that advice to heart. During his 24 years in the armed forces, the 1989 Cal State Fullerton graduate served in the Navy and Air Force, deployed around the globe, flew myriad fixed-wing and rotary aircraft and even managed a national air show.
"You just try to do the best you can wherever you go," said Shook, 54. "I was very blessed to be able to serve my country and fly a variety of aircraft. I flew, props, jets, helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
In his Naval tenure, Shook's missions took him to Asia, Australia and the Middle East. In the Air Force, he traveled from Japan to the Persian Gulf states and points in-between.
He retired as an Air Force major in 2013 and has spent the last eight years piloting unmanned aerial vehicles as a contractor for Northrop Grumman. He works at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland.
At Cal State Fullerton, Shook was a four-year performer in cross-country. When the men's track and field regained its NCAA status in spring 1989, he competed as a redshirt senior. In his final collegiate race, Shook placed fourth in the 5,000 meters at the Big West Championships with a lifetime best of 14:44.
Elders was both a teammate and a coach
John Elders, the longtime Fullerton cross-country and track head coach who retired in September, had a unique relationship with Shook. He was his teammate for one season, then coached him for the next four years.
"We battled back and forth competition-wise. Dennis was a very committed runner. When I was coaching, I remember that if Dennis was negative or complaining about how he felt before a race, he ran a great race. When he said he felt good, the opposite was true," said Elders.
"I was always impressed with what he did in the military. I'm a big supporter of our armed forces, and I've always been proud of Dennis and my other former student-athletes who have served."
Shook grew up in Placentia and Yorba Linda and began running as a 9-year-old. At El Dorado High School, Shook followed in the footsteps of his older siblings, Don and Jill, who were both distance runners. During Shook's junior year, the cross-country team was ranked No. 1 for most of the regular season.
"He came from a real running family," said Don Chadez, who was the El Dorado cross-country and track coach. Shook's parents, Al and Annette, were very supportive of the school's running program," said Chadez. Al, in fact, later became a top masters distance runner.
"He was as dedicated to becoming successful as any of the runners I've had," said Chadez, who continued his coaching career at Long Beach State, Corona High School and Fullerton College.
Shook arrived at Fullerton as a walk-on athlete
Shook considered a few Southern California universities before choosing to attend Cal State Fullerton. "I had some friends on the Fullerton team, and it was close to home. So I just decided to walk on there," said Shook, who enrolled in 1984.
He had three head coaches during his time at Fullerton – Jeff Potter, Jim Stuart and Elders. In addition to cross country, Shook was a member of the school's club track team for three years. "I enjoyed cross-country more – the variety, the challenge and the difficulty of the different courses," said Shook.
"Dennis was a first-rate student, a math guy. He wasn't taking all PE classes, that's for sure. He was very bright," said Stuart, who was the Fullerton head coach for the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons. Stuart also taught history and coached at Norwalk High School.
"We got to know each other a lot better after my first season," said Stuart. "Our men's and women's distance runners went to a camp in Bridgeport. I found Dennis to be very polite and cheerful. He was a popular member of the team."
A welcoming figure and a 'good soul'
Tom Wright-Hay, who joined the Titan running program in fall 1986, remembered Shook as a welcoming figure.
"I was an emotionally stunted freshman who didn't know what to expect," half-joked Wright-Hay. "Dennis was a junior. He was very conscientious and a good soul. He and the rest of the team really made me feel welcome."
The two became lifelong friends. "He took me to my first Rush concert," said Wright-Hay, who was raised in Yorba Linda and now lives in Eugene, Oregon. He is director of information services and continuous optimization for Blue Star Gas, a propane marketer that operates in four Western states. "
Shook was the team's top cross-country performer as a senior but broke his ankle while training for the Big West championships. After learning that the men's track and field program would be revived as an NCAA sport for the 1989 season, he decided he would return for a fifth year. (Fullerton's collegiate men's track and field had been an on-and-off operation for years, before being permanently reinstated in 1989.)
"I wanted a chance to redeem myself after my injury," he said. "I had been thinking about entering the military after graduation, so I enrolled in some military-related classes and independent-study courses during my fifth year," said Shook, who was an applied mathematics major.
Elders was elevated to head coach in the 1988-89 season and directed the men's track team revival. Shook said Elders was a big brother figure to the team members "John is a person we all looked up to. He is a great guy and a great friend."
A surprise finish at the Big West finals
Shook ran the 1,500-, 5,000- and 10,000-meter races as a redshirt senior. He was only one of three Titans to score in the Big West finals that year. He finished a surprise fourth-place finish in the 5,000 meters.
"Dennis had focused on the 10,000 at the finals, but he didn't score in that event. I told him, 'Let's just see how you can do in the 5,000,' and he did a super job. It was a great way to finish his college career," said Elders.
Upon graduation, Shook applied for Navy Officer Candidate School. After taking tests and undergoing interviews, he was accepted into Aviation Officer Candidate School.
Shook did his initial flight training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. He then completed his advance flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Florida, 20 miles northeast of Pensacola. He received his wings in August 1991.
His first assignment was in San Diego with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light HSL-45, also known as the Wolfpack.
Flying Seahawk helicopters in the Persian Gulf
In 1993 and 1995 as a Wolfpack member, he flew Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk helicopters in the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch. "Both tours were incredible experiences. I got to work with entire battle groups," said Shook, whose mission was to enforce sanctions and ensure safe shipping and freedom of navigation.
He was selected in 1996 to be a pilot instructor in Corpus Christi. Working with the Beechcraft T34 Mentor aircraft, he trained Navy and Marine pilots. "Being an instructor was very fulfilling and one of the most enjoyable jobs I ever had," he said.
Shook received a Master of Business Administration /Aviation Operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1998. A year later he made an unusual midcareer move, applying for and being granted an interservice transfer to the Air Force.
"I wanted to broaden my horizon. I was interested in flying different aircraft, and the Air Force needed reconnaissance pilots," Shook said.
He was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, Nebraska, where he was stationed for 10 ½ years. For Shook, one of his most important assignments was flying the Boeing RC135 reconnaissance aircraft on overseas missions to support U.S. troops and keep them safe.
Managing Nebraska air show was 'a great experience'
On a lighter note, he was tasked with managing the Offutt Air Show and Open House. The annual event draws aircraft from different generations of air power. "It was a great experience to meet and work with all the wonderful talent, civilian and active duty, from all over the country," he said.
In September 2006, he married Stephanie, a New Jersey native, in a small civil ceremony. Six months later, a traditional marriage ceremony was held. His old Titan teammate, Tom Wright-Hay, served as best man.
"When we get back together, it's like we haven't missed a day, said Wright-Hay. "I really admire the guy. I would do anything for him, and he would do anything for me."
Shook was reassigned in late 2010 to Beale Air Force Base, 40 miles north of Sacramento. A few months later, the Shooks' daughter, Abbie, was born.
"Stephanie handled all the changes with a lot of grace," he said. "It's very difficult to move across the U.S. multiple times, but I'm very blessed that my wife rolled with the moves. She made changing homes, schools, churches, doctors, etc., almost look easy."
Learning to fly unmanned aerial vehicles
At Beale, he was trained to fly the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude, remotely piloted surveillance aircraft.
After retiring in July 2013, Shook accepted a position as a Northrop Grumman contractor. Working at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland, he pilots unmanned aerial vehicles in support of armed forces in the field.
"My wife's family is from New Jersey, so we go back and forth to see them," said Shook. He fishes and golfs and enjoys playing bass guitar. While stationed in Nebraska, he played in cover bands in clubs and bars in the Omaha area.
One of Shook's favorite aspects of military life was seeing the world. "I had a great time visiting all the different ports and bases. Getting to see all the different cultures was a remarkable experience."
Shook continued his long-distance running during his years in the military, entering 5Ks and other races. The conditioning helped him stay fit and meet the challenges he encountered in the service.
"Running helped me throughout my career," he said. "Whenever my crew encountered difficult or demanding conditions, I was able to draw on my cross country and track team experiences."