In 1979, following a tour as Operations and Plans Officer for the Commander, Naval Forces Korea, he was selected as an Olmsted Scholar and studied two years in France at the Paris Institute of Political Science. He also holds masters' degrees in Public Administration (Finance) from Harvard and in National Security Studies and Strategy from the Naval War College, where he graduated with Highest Distinction.

After completing department head tours as Operations Officer in USS Deyo (DD 989) and in USS Mahan (DDG 42), he commanded USS Aries (PHM 5). His first tour in Washington included assignments to the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy as speechwriter, Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the Secretary.

Rear Adm.Shuford returned to sea in 1992 to command USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60), Battle "E" winner and part of the USS Independence Battle Group, homeported in the western Pacific. He assumed command of USS Gettysburg in January 1998, deploying ten months later to Fifth and Sixth Fleet operating areas as Air Warfare Commander (AWC) for the USS Enterprise Battle Group. Gettysburg played a prominent role in operations in the Adriatic during the Kosovo crisis and in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Fox, acting as AWC for dual carrier battle group operations (Carl Vinson and Enterprise Battle Groups) and successfully firing 100% of the 69 Tomahawk missiles tasked during strike operations. The ship was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" for Cruiser Destroyer Group 12.

Returning to the Pentagon and the Navy Staff (N86), he directed the Surface Combatant Force Level Study (SCFLS), establishing numbers and types of combatant ships required by the Navy. Following this task, he was assigned to the Plans and Policy Division (N3/N5) as Chief of Staff for the Navy's Roles and Missions Organization, coordinating and defending the Navy's positions in response to the national-level Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Services (CORM). He finished his most recent Pentagon tour as a Division Chief in J8 — the Force Structure, Resources and Assessments Directorate of the Joint Staff — where he worked Joint Warfighting requirement issues, primarily in the Theater Air and Missile Defense mission area. His most recent Washington assignment was to the Office of Legislative Affairs as Director of Senate Liaison.

In October 2001 he assumed duties as Assistant Commander Navy Personnel Command for Distribution (the Navy’s Head Detailer). Responsible for the assignment of more than 370,000 Navy men and women, Rear Adm. Shuford played a lead role in the conceptual development and initial implementation of Project Sea Warrior — the Navy’s bold initiative to radically transform the Manpower, Personnel and Training system and create a world-leading, integrated Human Resources system. In August 2003 he assumed command of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and served as Third Fleet’s Syndicate Lead and Operational Agent for Theater Air and Missile Defense. He assumed command of the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., on 12 August 2004. He is the 51st officer to serve as President since the College was founded in 1884.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (five awards), the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal.