Joel Graves – Lead Instructor Florida & Maine

Joel brings an extremely extensive military and tactical background. Completing 355 missions as Naval Special Warfare EOD on Seal Team 2 & 4, which is arguably one of the most elite and highly trained bomb squads in the world. He has served tours in Iraq, Bahrain and Afghanistan, personally disarmed improvised explosive devices with minimal tools in some of the most austere environments in the world. He has provided secret service protection in multiple countries for President Bush, President Obama and VP Biden. Today, Joel leverages his tactical and combat experience to prepare civilians, military personnel and organizations for international and domestic threats. Training and consulting opportunities with Joel include: international traveler, SERE, active shooter preparedness, self defense and organizational security.

Joel’s bushcraft and survival skill set is as equally impressive. Following his retirement from special forces, Joel spent six months in a long-term survival program where he slept in the field for 5 months, living off the land and honing his craft.. Since a very young age, Joel has been hunting and fishing all over the country. He currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida and spends much of his time fishing on the coastal waters, gator hunting, building bows, and keeping his self reliance skills sharp. He also put up fierce competition in Discovery Channel’s Bushcraft Build-off and truly has a great love for teaching people of all ages the skills they need to survive!

Train with Joel in Florida, Kentucky, Maine or request private training at your location.

Highlights: US NAVY EOD NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE OPERATOR, MK16 rebreather and SCUBA diver, static line and military free fall parachutist, diving supervisor, demolition operation supervisor, helicopter rope suspension technique (HRST/CAST) master, the Shaw’s Mid-South Shooting Institute and advanced expeditionary combat graduate, emergency vehicle operators course (EVOC), supported numerous US Secret Service missions for POTUS and VPOTUS, extensive combat medical training and real world experience using them.

Explosive Disposal Team Leader on over 355 missions with SEAL Team 2 and Seal Team 4. 2 Tours in Iraq, 1 Tour Bahrain, & 1 Tour Afghanistan.

Explosive ordinance disposal operator for ten years worked with: army, infantry, rangers, marines, SEAL teams, Green Berets, Secret Service, FBI, and police bomb squad units. Joel personally disarmed improvised explosive devices with minimal tools in some of the most austere environments in the world!

Experience & Training:

• SEAL TEAM 2 & 4
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 2, 6, 12
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment Mayport
• Operation Iraqi Freedom: Deployments to MNF-N and MNF-W
• Operation Enduring Freedom: SOTF-Southeast Afghanistan, Village Stability Operations
• Military Level B SERE School Graduate

EOD Diving Operations:

• Diving Supervisor
• Deep Diving operations down to 300 ft

Shooting Schools:

• Shaws Mid South Institute
• Advanced Expeditionary Combat School
• Blackwater USTC training center
• TAG long range military shooting school
• Military Medical Certifications
• Navy Special Warfare Tactical First Responder medical training (Live Tissue)
• EOD Combat First Responder
• Army Combat Life Saver

Military Schools:

• Pack Mule Operations
• High/Low Angle Rope Rescue
• Small Technical Rope Rescue
• Swift Water Rescue
• High Altitude Navigation
• Military Free Fall Operations:Unknown-2
• Static Line Jumps (80 jumps)
• HALO/HAHO (High Altitude Low Opening/High Opening) 50 Jumps