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, Operations Flight Commander, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
As the OFC, Capt Kniss 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 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 Robert Butler, Operations Officer, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
As the Operations Officer, Maj Butler oversees all Detachment 90 operations to include the Cadre, Cadets, and Air Force Institute for Technology Students located at Colorado State University. He is the primary communication link between AFROTC regional and national headquarters. He earned his commission through Officer Training School (OTS) as a Nuclear and Missile Operations Officer (13N). As a 13N, he has served as a Mission Lead Missile Combat Crew Commander, Instructor, Evaluator, and Flight Commander while performing over 7,600 nuclear alert hours monitoring 150 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). Prior to his commission, Maj Butler was an enlisted Air Traffic Controller (ATC).
Captain Hillary Gibson, Recruiting Officer, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
As RO, Captain Gibson is responsible for the detachment’s recruiting efforts and enrollment process, from initial contact to cadet activation. Capt Gibson commissioned through Officer Training School as a Public Affairs Officer in 2020. Most recently, she provided strategic communication support to Space Operations Command headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.