▁a ▁series ▁of ▁command ▁and ▁staff ▁assign ments . ▁Following ▁the ▁G ulf ▁War , ▁Sh el ton ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 8 2 nd ▁Air bor ne ▁Division ▁at ▁Fort ▁B rag g ▁in ▁his ▁home ▁state ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁XVIII ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps . ▁Sh el ton ▁led ▁the ▁J oint ▁Task ▁Force ▁responsible ▁for ▁Operation ▁U ph old ▁Dem ocracy ▁in ▁H ait i ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Sh el ton , ▁a ▁Special ▁Forces ▁soldier , ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁general ▁and ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Commander ▁in ▁Chief ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Command ▁( SO COM ). ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Gr adu ate ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Special ▁Forces ▁Program ▁to ▁command ▁SO COM . ▁ ▁Upon ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁John ▁M . ▁Sh al ik ash v ili , ▁Sh el ton ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁Sh el ton ▁led ▁the ▁planning ▁of ▁the ▁Kos ovo ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁office . ▁Later ▁he ▁co ined ▁the ▁phrase ▁" D over ▁test ", ▁testing ▁the ▁support ▁for ▁a ▁war ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁reaction ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁after ▁seeing ▁American ▁cas ual ties ▁returning ▁at ▁the ▁D over ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base