Mr. William A. Cole

Mr. Cole currently serves as the Garrison Manager at the Detroit Arsenal. The arsenal encompasses 181 acres, with 74 buildings creating more than 2.6 million square feet of building space where he is responsible for all installation management services and base operations.  There are approximately 7,500 civilian/contract workers and 250 military on the arsenal, which is the only active-duty military installation in Michigan.

Prior to his current position he served as a Senior Plans Analyst for Headquarters Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff G9, Plans and Operations Directorate providing synchronization support for All Things Pacific and operationalizing annual Facility Investment Guidance.  He recently completed Senior Service College and graduating from the U.S. National War College and the Defense Senior Leader Development Program which is the Department of Defense’s premier civilian leadership development program.

Previous assignments include Director of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at U. S. Army Garrison Humphreys; Deputy to the Garrison Commander at USAG Humphreys from June 2021 to April 2022; Director of DPTMS at USAG Humphreys from June 2018 to June 2021; Garrison Manager at USAG Adelphi Laboratory Center from February 2016 to June 2018; and Director of DPTMS at USAG Daegu from March 2008 to February 2016. 

Prior to joining federal civil service, Mr. Cole served on active duty in the U.S. Army and retired after the culmination of a highly successful 25 year military career.  He attended the U.S. Army Ordnance Missile and Munitions Center and School at Redstone Arsenal upon entry to military service and ultimately culminated his career by retiring as the installation’s Garrison Command Sergeant Major. 

Mr. Cole’s civilian education includes graduation from the National War College, Ft McNair, with a Master’s of Science in National Security Strategy. He also obtained a Master’s of Science in Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science/History from Thomas Edison State College, New Jersey, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Excelsior College, New York.

His professional training includes: Defense Senior Leadership Development Program (DSLDP) Cohort 2023; National War College academic year 2023/2024; IMCOM Senior Leader/Garrison Pre-Command Course; Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security Course; and Civilian Education for Senior Leaders.  He is also a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants’ Major Academy (Class 53).

Mr. Cole is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and is accompanied by his lovely wife, the former Mijung Park of Daegu, Korea.  He has a son and granddaughter that currently reside in North Carolina.