Meet the Cadre Team
Colonel Greg Young, Commander, Detachment 90, Professor of Aerospace Studies
Col Young is the Det 90 Commander and chairs the Department of Aerospace Studies. He received his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 1998 and has over 3,200 flight hours, primarily in the C-130 Hercules. He commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels and served on Numbered Air Force, Major Command, and Combatant Command staffs.
Captain Shelby Kniss, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
Capt Kniss graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, earning a degree in Meterology. She is a Weather Officer; most recently serving with the 89th Operations Support Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Capt Kniss led a 20-person flight providing weather services in direct support of POTUS and VPOTUS travel.
Staff Sergeant Chris Santos, NCOIC, Administration Management
As the NCOIC of Administrative Actions, SSgt Santos oversees critical personnel actions for Det 90 cadre and cadets, ensuring smooth operations and compliance within the unit. Hailing from Georgia, SSgt Santos served 6 years overseas prior to joining the team at Det 90. His prior assignments included the United Kingdom, Korea, and Germany in addition to a deployment to Romania where he led postal operations for USAFE’s largest deployed MQ-9 squadron, supporting nine bases, and two MAJCOMs during operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE.
Major Andrew Carpenter, Operations Officer, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
Major Carpenter serves as the Operations Officer for Det 90, overseeing Cadet and Cadre operations and acting as the liaison between the detachment and HQ AFROTC. He earned his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2014. Prior to this assignment, Major Carpenter spent 10 years as a helicopter pilot in the UH-1N with assignments in Montana, Washington D.C., and Wyoming. He is a senior evaluator pilot with over 1,600 flight hours.
Captain Hillary Gibson, Operations Flight Commander, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
As the OFC, Capt Gibson oversees all professional military and developmental training. This includes being the key advisor on all cadet-run operations, including Leadership Lab (LLAB) and Physical Training (PT). Capt Gibson commissioned through Officer Training School as a Public Affairs Officer in 2020. Most recently, she provided strategic communication support to Combat Forces Command, USSF, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.