Biographies of Marine Corps leaders.
Sergeant Major Alford L. McMichael rose from a young private at boot camp in San Diego to the top enlisted post in the Marine Corps. As the 14th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, he was the first African American to hold the position, and he served as the Commandant’s senior enlisted adviser as the … Read more
General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. is one of the most influential Marines of the modern era. Over more than four decades in uniform, he led Marines from the platoon level to the very top of the Corps, serving as the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps and then as the 19th Chairman of the Joint … Read more
Major General Tracy L. Garrett built a 36-year career in the Marine Corps Reserve and became one of the most accomplished reservists of her generation. She deployed to Iraq, commanded Marine forces across Europe and Africa, became the first woman to serve as Inspector General of the Marine Corps, and stood up a brand-new command … Read more
Major General Robert F. Castellvi served more than 38 years as a Marine infantry officer, from his commissioning in 1984 to his retirement in 2022. When this profile first appeared, he was a brigadier general. He later earned a second star and went on to command the 1st Marine Division, one of the Corps’ largest … Read more
Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh spent nearly four decades in the Marine Corps, rising from an infantry platoon commander to one of the officers responsible for shaping how the Corps will fight in the future. When this profile first appeared, he was a major general serving on the Navy staff. He went on to earn … Read more
Some Marines are remembered for one act of courage. Sergeant Major John H. Quick is remembered for a whole career of them. He earned the Medal of Honor in Cuba in 1898 by standing up on an exposed ridge to signal a Navy ship while under enemy fire. Twenty years later, in France during World … Read more
Michael G. Dana spent 37 years in the Marine Corps, rising from a tank platoon commander to one of the most senior logisticians in the service. When this biography was first published he was a major general. He went on to earn a third star, serving as Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics and later … Read more