Norman Cooling

Norman Lee Cooling is a Brigadier General in the United States Marine Corps, who is currently serving as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies & Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

Education
Cooling graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas, in 1982. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1986. As a Burke and Cox Scholar, he completed the Russian Language Program at Norwich University after graduating from the Academy. He then completed The Basic School with honors in 1987 before attending the Infantry Officer Course, at Quantico, VA. He attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 2000, graduating with distinction while earning a Masters Degree in Military Studies. He graduated from U.S. Naval War College on 20 June 2008, earning a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies and graduating with honors.

Military career
Cooling’s primary Military Operational Specialty (MOS) was as an infantry officer (0302) until his promotion to Colonel, when he was assigned an 8041, Colonel, Ground MOS. He received his 8003, General Officer MOS upon being promoted to his current rank. His first assignment as an infantry officer was with Second Battalion, Fourth Marines where he commanded rifle, weapons, and anti-armor platoons. Subsequently, he has commanded infantry and light armored reconnaissance units to the battalion level as well as the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, CA. He commanded Third Battalion, Third Marines during combat deployments to both Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom 5. Notable staff tours include that of the Director of the 31st Commandment of the Marine Corps’ Staff Group, of the Deputy Marine Liaison Officer to the U.S. House of Representatives, Executive Assistant to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, Operations Chief for Regional Command Southwest (Afghanistan), and Chief of Staff, Second Marine Expeditionary Force. and Deputy Director, J-3 Plans & Operations for the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany before assuming his current duties. In February 2018, Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, suspended Brig. Gen. Cooling, his top liaison to Congress, of duty after the Senate Armed Services Committee asked Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to investigate allegations that he had created a hostile work environment to include degrading comments against women. He was subsequently reassigned to his present duties.