R3 enthusiastically welcomes Mike Smoot to our Team.  Mike recently retired from the United States Navy following 22 years of service as a Special Operations Officer and Master EOD Technician. He has extensive experience leading complex and diverse teams in high-stress environments within the special operations EOD community.

Beginning his Navy career after completing Boot Camp and Parachute Rigger “A” school, he was initially stationed at EOD Mobile Unit TWO in Virginia Beach, VA, before transitioning to EOD training in Panama City, FL in 2003. Following successful completion, he joined EOD Mobile Unit Eleven in Whidbey Island, WA.  From there, Mike undertook various leadership assignments, including tours at EODMU TWELVE in Virginia Beach, VA, EODMU FIVE in Guam, and EOD Group ONE in San Diego, CA.

As an EOD Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Mike has vast experience in training and education in both operational commands and in formal Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) school-house settings. Operationally he served in training roles as the Training and Assessments Officer on the EODGRU ONE staff and as the Readiness and Training Officer for a forward deployed Mobile Unit.  He has multiple tours at NETC learning sites, serving as a training team leader and master training specialist at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, as a Division Officer at EOD School, and most recently as the Director of Training at EOD School.

In addition to multiple qualifications and awards, he earned a Bachelor of Science in National Security and graduated from the Joint Special Operations University, specializing in operational planning and the senior enlisted academy.

Mike will be an integral part of R3’s Northwest Florida team, focusing on the Southeastern United States.  He will immediately utilize his extensive and recent EOD community and NETC experience to directly shape future EOD training as part of the Navy’s Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) process. Mike brings a complete understanding of current EOD training and planned future requirements to our team.  Mike remains passionate about EOD training, and specifically making sure that EOD operators heading down range are as prepared as possible; it’s a huge win for the Joint EOD community and for R3 to have him on our team.