. ▁During ▁the ▁events ▁of ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Sh el ton ▁was ▁on ▁a ▁plane ▁travel ing ▁to ▁a ▁NAT O ▁meeting ▁in ▁Europe , ▁but ▁turned ▁back ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Washington . ▁Al ready ▁scheduled ▁to ▁ret ire ▁in ▁October , ▁Sh el ton ▁spent ▁his ▁last ▁weeks ▁in ▁office ▁coordin ating ▁military ▁plans ▁to ▁destroy ▁al - Q a eda ▁and ▁Tal ib an ▁forces ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁and ▁helping ▁to ▁develop ▁an ▁inter ag ency ▁strategy ▁to ▁defeat , ▁dis rupt , ▁and ▁deg rade ▁terror ist ▁activities ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁These ▁would ▁form ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁Operation ▁End uring ▁Fre edom ▁and ▁the ▁global ▁War ▁on ▁T error . ▁Upon ▁Sh el ton ' s ▁end ▁of ▁term , ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁nominated ▁then - V ice ▁Chair man ▁Air ▁Force ▁General ▁Richard ▁My ers , ▁who ▁was ▁sw orn ▁in ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Post - mil it ary ▁career ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Sh el ton ▁founded ▁the ▁General ▁Hugh ▁Sh el ton ▁Le ad ership ▁Center ▁at ▁North ▁Carolina ▁State ▁University . ▁The ▁center ▁was ▁created ▁to ▁" in sp ire , ▁educ ate , ▁and ▁develop ▁values - based ▁leaders , ▁both ▁locally ▁and ▁glob ally , ▁committed ▁to ▁personal ▁integrity , ▁professional ▁eth ics , ▁and ▁self less ▁service ." ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁Sh el ton ▁joined ▁the ▁Board ▁of