COL Will Shoemate enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer. Following his assignment to the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 2-3 ACR, COL Shoemate was selected for Officer Candidate School. After commissioning through Officer Candidate School, COL Shoemate served in the 44th Engineer Battalion, Camp Howze, Korea. Upon successfully completing his first assignment, COL Shoemate attended the Engineer Captains Career Course (ECCC) and returned to Korea where he served in the 2nd Engineer Battalion, Camp Essayons, Korea, as the Battalion Maintenance Officer. He then assumed Command of the Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Division. Following command, COL Shoemate was assessed and selected for assignment within the U.S. Army Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG), Fort Meade, Maryland.
While assigned to AWG, COL Shoemate was the Group Engineer and Company Commander for Headquarters Company. COL Shoemate then volunteered for assignment to the 130th Engineer Brigade and deployed to Mosul, Iraq, as the Brigade’s Chief of Operations. Following this assignment, COL Shoemate attended the U.S Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). Following CGSC, COL Shoemate returned to the Asymmetric Warfare Group and served as the Group Plans Chief, Squadron S-3, and Troop Commander. He was then selected to serve as the National Training Center's Observer/Coach-Trainer (OC/T). COL Shoemate served as the Brigade Plans and Engineer OC/T during this assignment. COL Shoemate was then selected as a Military Fellow for the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group. Following his fellowship, he returned to AWG and served as the Group S-3 and Group Deputy Commander. COL Shoemate was then selected to command the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2/3 ABCT, from June 2018 – June 2020. Following his command with the 9th BEB, COL Shoemate was chosen for command of 5th Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, in December 2020. COL Shoemate completed command of 5th Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, in June 2022. Following command, COL Shoemate attended senior service college.
COL Shoemate has executed multiple operational deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Qatar. His most recent deployments were in support of Defender 20 and the Security Force Assistance Task Force Command for SFA-Honduras. COL Shoemate holds a Master's Degree in Military Studies from the Command and General Staff College, and a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College. COL Shoemate also holds professional project management certification from Stanford University.