Lieutenant Commander Ethan G. Copping, a native of Brighton, Michigan, is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer. In 2009, he graduated from University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Math while earning his commission through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP).
LCDR Copping’s first operational assignment was at EOD Mobile Unit (EODMU) FIVE in Guam from January 2011 to October 2014 where he served as the Platoon Commander providing EOD support to Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines throughout the southern Philippines archipelago. He then went on to serve as the EOD Platoon Commander for the INDO-PACOM Crisis Response Force.
Following his tour at EODMU FIVE, LCDR Copping stood up the Unmanned Systems (UMS) Company at Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) TWO in Virginia Beach, Virginia from December 2014 to March 2017 with a deployment as the Future Operations Officer of Task Group 56.1 in Bahrain. Upon return from deployment, he was assigned as the Operations Officer for EODMU ELEVEN in Imperial Beach, California from April 2017 to December 2019 where he completed two deployments as the Operations Officer for Task Group 56.1 in Bahrain. Following his second deployment with EODMU ELEVEN, he was assigned to Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAF) from January 2020 to December 2021 as the C-WMD and C-IED planner.
He is currently assigned as Executive Officer, Navy Experimental Diving Unit, located in Panama City, Florida.
LCDR Copping’s awards include various personal and campaign commendations.