Having served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, Shawn J. Cole has distinguished himself in the area of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), building a professional career rooted in his expertise in explosive ordnance disposal and training. Honored by Marquis Who’s Who, Cole currently holds the position of subject matter expert for improvised explosive devices (IED) in the U.S. State Department’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement for the Worldwide Weapons Destruction Support Services (WWDSS), Iraq Task Order.
Years of Dedicated Service
During his 25-year career in the U.S. Navy, which began in 1987, Cole developed his knowledge of EOD and worked his way up to various positions, including readiness and training officer, material officer, EOD liaison officer at the Joint IED Defeat Organization, EOD department head for advanced IED disposal, and the division officer of nuclear ordnance division at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
Throughout his Navy career, Cole has taught thousands of individuals in the U.S. military, various federal agencies, and international allied nations how to carry out some of the military’s most dangerous operations safely.
One of Cole’s greatest achievements was spending two years in Iraq, where he worked with international EOD technicians to remove IEDs and other explosive hazards placed in cities throughout the country, ensuring the safe return of Iraqi civilians to their homes and businesses.
In addition to these military roles, Cole also helped establish an EOD school in Ukraine on behalf of the U.S. State Department, where he was also the senior instructional designer. He developed comprehensive EOD training that follows the International Mine Action Standards.
Before this, Cole was the task order leader of the WWDSS Iraq for Tetra Tech. In this position, he established clearance priorities by working with the United Nations and the Iraq Directorate of Mine Action, as well as establishing priorities and processes in the search and clearance of explosive hazards in areas recently liberated from ISIS control. Cole was able to achieve the overall strategic goal of returning Iraq’s internally displaced people (IDPs) to their homes and businesses by utilizing both human and operational resources to remove IEDs and other explosive hazards.
Cole has also collaborated with leadership across the U.S. military, the United Nations Mine Action Service, the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining, the Iraq Government, the press, and multiple represented governments.
Cole assisted Janus Global in developing training for the United Nations peacekeepers in Africa, serving as a senior instructional designer and program manager. He created a unified curriculum for French, English, and American militaries to teach the entire continent, developing eight courses to teach conventional munitions destruction and improvised explosive device disposal technicians, as well as a Train the Trainer course.
Beyond the Military
In addition to his military service, Cole has furthered his education, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in human resource management and services from Columbia Southern University in 2012.
Beyond his education and teaching in the military, Cole has directly contributed to the education of others through numerous presentations, curriculum design, and publications, such as an article in The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, where he co-authored “Determining the Value of UAVs in Iraq.”
Cole remains current on the latest information in his field, maintaining a long-standing membership in the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators. He has been honored with multiple military commendations, including a Bronze Star, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, a Navy Commendation Medal, a Navy Achievement Medal, and a Ribbon for Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. He credits his success to an innate passion for his work.
Looking to the future, while Cole does not anticipate leaving his work altogether, he plans to slow down, enjoy quality time spent with family and friends, and continue helping others.
