Brig. Gen. Shawn M. Coco is presently assigned as the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Louisiana National Guard, Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, Louisiana. As the Assistant Adjutant General - Air, he assists the Adjutant General in formulating, developing, and coordinating programs, policies and plans for the entire Louisiana Air National Guard.
Brig. Gen. Coco was commissioned through the Reserve Officers Training Program upon graduation from Louisiana State University in 1992. He earned his wings at Reese AFB, Texas. He completed two overseas assignments as an F-15C pilot and an instructor tour in the AT-38B while on active duty before joining the Louisiana ANG in 2004 as an F-15C instructor pilot and mission commander. General Coco has served as Chief of Weapons and Tactics, as a maintenance squadron commander, an operations group commander and as Commander of the 159 FW. He is also a graduate of the USAF Weapons School. General Coco is a command pilot with over 3,500 flight hours, primarily in the F-15 Eagle, and over 440 combat hours. He fought in both Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. During Hurricane Katrina, he served in the State Emergency Operations Center as a flight liaison with rescue and recovery air assets before assuming a squadron command during Operation CRESCENT GUARD, the military police presence in New Orleans. Also, in 2012 he deployed to Kandahar AB, Afghanistan where he served as the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group Deputy Commander and flew 42 combat missions in the MC-12 Liberty.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base
2004 Master of Science in Engineering Management, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base
2011 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base
ASSIGNMENTS
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June 1993 – December 1994, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
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December 1994 – July 1995, Student, F-15 Basic Course, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
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July 1995 – May 1998, F-15 Pilot, Assistant Chief of Scheduling, and Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 54th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
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May 1998 – January 2001, 49th Chief of Safety, 49th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
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January 2001 – February 2004, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations and 18th Wing Chief of Functional Check Flights, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
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February 2004 – July 2006, F-15 Instructor Pilot and Operational Readiness Inspection Executive Officer, 122nd Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB New Orleans, La. and squadron commander during Operation CRESCENT GUARD
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July 2006 – December 2006, Student, F-15C Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, 433rd Fighter Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
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December 2006 – December 2008, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 159th Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
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January 2009 – April 2010, 159th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
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April 2010 – March 2013, 159th Operations Group Commander, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
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August 2012 – December 2012, 451st Expeditionary Group Deputy Commander, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan.
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March 2013 – March 2015, Vice Commander, 159th Fighter Wing, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
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April 2015 – February 2019, Commander, 159th Fighter Wing, NAS JRB New Orleans, La.
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March 2019 – April 2020, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, New Orleans, La.
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May 2020 – Present, Assistant Adjutant General – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, New Orleans, La.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 3500+ T-38
Combat Hours: 440+
Aircraft flown: AT-38, F-15A/B/C/D, MC-12, T-37 and T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with star
Armed Forces Service Medal with star
NATO-ISAF Medal
Louisiana Legion of Merit
Louisiana Commendation Medal with fleur-de-lis
Louisiana War Cross
Louisiana Emergency Service Medal with fleur-de-lis
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 1992
First Lieutenant, November 1994
Captain, November 1996
Major, May 2003
Lieutenant Colonel, June 2008
Colonel, January 2012
Brigadier General, May 2020