Shattles

Russell Shattles is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician and Personal Security Specialist. He has contributed to books, magazine and newspaper articles on subjects ranging from EOD, IEDs, Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), and security in Iraq and Afghanistan. His most recent consulting was to Playboy Magazine on EOD work in Iraq and to NASCAR magazine regarding UXO cleanup in Iraq.

After receiving his EOD training at Naval School EOD, at Indian Head, Maryland, Shattles was assigned to five (5) Army EOD units from 1983 to 1993:

143rd EOD, Seneca, NY - This unit was designated a special nuclear EOD unit due to its mission at Seneca Army Depot, a former nuclear weapons storage site. At this assignment Shattles also served on multiple US Secret Service (USSS) VIP teams in support of the President of the United States (POTUS), Vice President (VPOTUS) and several presidential candidates (John Glenn, Reuben Askew, Jesse Jackson), and served as an EOD VIP Team Member at the United Nations General Assembly. Service at the 143rd EOD also require response to conventional ordnance in the state of New York and other locations.

8th EOD, Uijongbu, South Korea - The 8th EOD was a combined mission unit, with a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) response, as well as conventional and USSS VIP requirements. Shattles served on all teams including USSS VIP missions in Hong Kong and support for the 1988 Olympics (training to SK EOD).

57th EOD, Ft. Belvoir, VA - The 57th EOD was a conventional EOD unit with a primary VIP mission. It was considered one of four "White House EOD Units". At this unit the primary mission was support to the POTUS/VPOTUS, their families, the US State Department, and other VIP and federal protection agencies. The 57th EOD also had a large IED response mission in the Washington, DC area. Shattles logged over 500 USSS VIP missions.

67th EOD, Ft. McNair, Washington, DC - The 67th EOD was considered the actual White House EOD Team. Their primary mission was support to the USSS in protecting the POTUS, VPOTUS and their families. IED response was their secondary mission. Shattles was one of only a handful of American citizens in Nicaragua after Daniel Ortega was voted out of office. He attended the Presidential/VP inaugurations in Nicaragua as a member of the USSS protection team for Vice President Quayle.

88th EOD, Ft. McCoy, WI - The 88th EOD had as its primary mission the conventional ordnance and IED support in five surrounding states, including Chicago and all major cities in Wisconsin and SD and ND. Due to the unit's proximity to Chicago the IED response was high.

Russell Shattles left the US Army in 1993 to pursue private business in the restaurant/tavern industry.

In 1997 Shattles took his first assignment as a government contractor, and continued with Unexploded Ordnance clean-up until present day. In 1999 Shattles became the chief organizer and leader of the UXO Workers' Union Local 630 (now defunct).

From 2003 - 2006 Shattles served in Iraq as the primary EOD Instructor to the New Iraqi Army, a PSD Detail Leader for DynCorp and CTU, and as an EOD tech under the US Army Corps of Engineers.

In 2006 Shattles served as an EOD Team Leader on the Poppy Eradication program in Afghanistan.

Since 2000, Shattles has also served as a Senior UXO Supervisor, Demolition/Construction Superintendent, Explosive Safety Officer, Site Safety Officer and Quality Control Officer. He holds Explosives/Blasters permits in five states.

Shattles resides in the United States.