Gunnery Sergeant Sean G. Schmidlin entered the Marine Corps in August, 1992. After graduating recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California he attended Marine Combat Training (MCT) at Camp Pendleton, California. Upon completion of MCT, then Private First Class Schmidlin, attended the basic course at the Armed Forces School of Music at Little Creek Virginia.
Graduating in August of 1993, Lance Corporal Schmidlin was assigned as a trombonist with the Marine Forces Pacific Band, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. While stationed in Hawaii, he attended Hawaii Pacific University.
Corporal Schmidlin went back to the School of Music in December 1996 to attend the Section Leaders Course (SLC) where he was promoted to Sergeant.
Upon graduation of the SLC in July, 1997, Sergeant Schmidlin was assigned to the Marine Forces Reserve Band, New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to his regular duties as an instrumentalist, he served as the Administration
Noncommissioned Officer In Charge, Trombone Section Leader, Platoon
Sergeant, and Acting Drum Major.
In November 2000, Sergeant Schmidlin was selected to represent the Marine Corps in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Band in Naples, Italy. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in November 2002 and received orders to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego where he was selected as a Drum Major.
June 2006, Staff Sergeant Schmidlin was selected to be a Drill Band and Drum Major instructor at the School of Music, Little Creek, Virginia. While on staff at the School of Music he also served as the School of Music Registrar and Platoon Sergeant for the Marine Detachment.
Gunnery Sergeant Schmidlin was selected for his current rank in July 2008 and was also transferred to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Band where he currently serves as the Drum Major.