621st CRW legal advisor dubbed “Lake Placid”

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

Everyone needs someone who is calm under pressure and can turn chaos into order, and one such individual is Maj. Matthew Cole, a USAF judge advocate.

Judge advocates can decipher a lot of information all at once, digest it and cooly translate it to Airmen and their commanders in a concise format to bring legal clarity and guidance on the dos and don’ts of the world.

“I want to express how thankful I am: to be an American, to honorably serve my country the way that I do, and to care for the people that support me each and every day. It is a blessing.”
Maj. Matthew Cole, 621st CRW legal advisor
Maj. Matthew Cole, 621st Contingency Response Wing legal advisor, is one of two wing legal advisors for the unit. He has participated in countless contingency response exercises and deployed with a contingency response squadron only a couple months after arriving at Travis Air Force Base.

Cole embodies the CR spirit. He has completed multiple trainings to include Advanced Ready Training – Contingency Response where he learned to clear buildings, drive vehicles tactically, apply advanced tactical combat casualty care and more.

His training and real-world experiences boost his ability to provide legal advice to commanders and Airmen of all ranks in the multifaceted, fast-paced situations common to the CRW. He was even dubbed “Lake Placid” by a previous commander for his ability to stay calm in the tensest situations.

Airman poses for a photo

U.S. Air Force Maj. Matthew Cole, 621st Contingency Response Wing legal advisor, poses for a photo during Exercise STORM CROW at Schoonover Airfield on Fort Hunter-Liggett, California, June 6, 2024. Exercise STORM CROW was the final deployment certification exercise for the 821st Contingency Response Squadron before they assume alert on October 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Warner)

 Lake Placid is known for its calm, reflective waters that offer serenity.

“You must be calm under a lot of pressure to be a JA, and funny enough, my first boss in the Air Force called me ‘Lake Placid’ because he believed I have the personality that would always be calm where other people would be panicking,” Cole said. “I am called to take in any amount of information, turn it into good legal advice, and then present it to commanders in a timely manner so they can make their decisions.”

Cole mentioned how important this is especially within the context of being assigned to a high operations tempo unit like the CRW. He added that having a good temperament and not being easily overwhelmed are character necessities because Airmen need to be able to trust their commanders and their JA in the fog of war to answer many questions such as:

 “What do we do in this situation?”

“How do we get out of it and do the right thing at the right time?”

 CR provides unique experiences for USAF career fields. The career fields do typical work that one could expect, but overall, those within the CRW get to be more than their career field - they get to be Contingency Response Airmen.

The CR JA position is truly one-of-a-kind. The job primarily focuses on international and operations law where judge advocates advise commanders on rules of engagement, research the laws of countries to which the wing may deploy, understand fiscal law and the complexities of spending money, counsel commanders on military justice, and draft powers of attorney and wills, all while ensuring Airmen are ready and prepared to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Cole emphasizes that it takes passion and determination to fill this role given the four unique mission sets of the wing.

Airmen pose for photo

Airmen with the 621st CRW pose for a photo at Amedee Army Airfield in Herlong, CA, May 6, 2025. Exercise DRAGON SPARK was a pre-deployment training exercise for the 921st Contingency Response Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Cassidy Fisher)

 “To be effective in this position, you need to have someone who is dedicated to learning the craft and is passionate about the mission sets. Otherwise, it’s very difficult to learn what you need to know and to give reasoned legal advice to the commander when they need it - and in an applicable way,” Cole said.

Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Cole attended Hillsdale College and earned his undergraduate degrees in religion, politics and French. Upon graduation he pursued his juris doctor at Michigan State University where he specialized in international law and learned how to apply complex contracts between nations and multinational companies. His skills also include a vast understanding of the cultures and legal systems of different countries, which has proven invaluable within the CRW, since CR has a global mission to match Cole’s global skillset.

Cole has always had a desire to serve in both his personal and professional lives, which drove him to join the military. His devotion seeps into every facet leading him to unique positions and the ability to do a job well-done.

“I want to express how thankful I am: to be an American, to honorably serve my country the way that I do, and to care for the people that support me each and every day. It is a blessing,” Cole said. “I am right where I want to be and proud to be a part of a mission that makes a difference in the world.”