Commanding Officer, 
LtCol Ralph J. Rizzo Jr.
Lt Col Rizzo was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, March 14, 1967 to Ralph J. and the late Elena M. Rizzo. He graduated from Western New England College in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminal Justice, subsequently enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and graduated from MCRD Parris Island in 1990. He completed Recruit Training a PFC and reported to the School Of Infantry where he attained the MOS of 0341 Mortarman.
In January 1991 he received orders to Marine Barracks Ground Defense Force, Subic Bay, Philippines where he held the billets of Fire Team Leader, S-2 Chief, and S-2 Officer and was meritoriously promoted to the rank of Corporal in 1991. He participated in Operation Fiery Vigil in June 1991 for which he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for the proper staging and safeguarding of all classified material during the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo. Upon participating in the deactivation of MarBks, Subic Bay he received orders to the 1st Marine Divisions, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA., as an 81 MM Mortar Platoon Section Leader in 1992. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1993 and reenlisted in June of 1994.
In August 1994 he applied to and was accepted for the Enlisted Commissioning Program and reported to Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps base, Quantico, VA. where he graduated as a Second Lieutenant USMCR in December of 1994. After graduating in the top 10% of his class at The Basic School he reported to Infantry Officers School where he graduated in 1995 receiving the MOS of 0302. Upon completion of IOC he received orders to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, Kaneohe Bay, HI in January 1996 where he completed two unit deployments and held the billets of Infantry Platoon Commander, 81 MM Mortar Platoon Commander, Weapons Company Executive Officer, and Weapons Company Commanding Officer from January 1996 through November 1998.
LtCol Rizzo accepted augmentation in November 1998 in conjunction with the supplementary MOS program, he reported to Logistics Officer School, Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools, Camp Johnson, NC. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in January 1999. Upon Completion of LOS he received the MOS of 0402 and reported for duty as the Camp Johnson Area/MCCSSS S-4 Officer from March 1999 through March 2002. He received orders to 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, in March 2002 and assumed duty as Company Commander for Forward Maintenance Company Bravo in July 2002. He deployed his Company to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from February to May of 2003 where he was presented with the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3rd award) for his company’s performance while providing direct support in an immediate combat area.
In July 2004 LtCol Rizzo was deployed to Afghanistan and assigned as the Senior Watch Officer for Combined Joint Task Force 76 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was presented with the Bronze Star for Exceptionally Meritorious service while planning, coordinating and synchronizing all combat operations within the Strategic Joint Operations Area. In June 2006 LtCol Rizzo was selected to take charge of Recruiting Station Detroit, Michigan where he completed a 3 year tour as the Recruiting Station Commanding Officer. In 2010 he attended the United States Naval War College where he received a Master Degree in Strategic Studies. LtCol Rizzo was promoted to his present rank on 1 August 2010 and is selected to take Command of Combat Logistics Battalion-6, Camp Lejeune.
LtCol Rizzo’s personal decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, and the Deployment Ribbon with three bronze stars.
LtCol Rizzo is married to the former Mila Ocampo and they have three children: Mark Anthony, age 17, Nicholas Scott, age 15, and Arlene Marie, age 14. They currently reside in Jacksonville, NC.
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Battalion Sergeant Major,
Roger F. Griffith
Sgt. Maj. Roger F. Griffith was born in Tazewell, Va., in 1974. He graduated from Tazewell High School in 1992 and enlisted into the United States Marine Corps in July of the same year. Sgt. Maj. Griffith attended boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina and graduated from Second Recruit Training Battalion in October of 1992.
He was then transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina where he was assigned to the School of Infantry (SOI) and subsequently trained as an 0331, Machine Gunner. Upon completion of SOI in January 1993, Sgt. Maj. Griffith was assigned to 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he deployed to Okinawa, Japan from December 1993 through June 1994 and then redeployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy in July of the same year. Upon returning to Camp Lejeune in October 1994, Sgt. Maj. Griffith completed the Scout Sniper Indoctrination Program and was further trained as a Scout Sniper at Stone Bay, North Carolina.
He later deployed aboard the U.S.S. Guam with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from January through July 1996, where he served as a Scout Sniper Team Leader during operations in Monrovia, Liberia. In September 1996, Sergeant Major Griffith was assigned to MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina where he served as the G-3 Operations Chief. In April 1998, he attended Drill Instructor School and was subsequently assigned to India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion. Sergeant Major Griffith trained six platoons as a Drill Instructor, two as a Senior Drill Instructor and served as a Close Combat Instructor Trainer during his tour.
Upon completion of Drill Instructor duty in July 2001, Sgt. Maj. Griffith transferred to 2nd Battalion 6th Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He deployed from January through July 2002 aboard the USS Wasp with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Horn of Africa and the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) as a Rifle Platoon Sergeant with Fox Company. Upon his return, he was assigned as the Scout Sniper Platoon Sergeant and then deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) from February through May 2003. Shortly after returning from Iraq, Sergeant Major Griffith was reassigned to Fox Company where he served as a Rifle Platoon Sergeant, Rifle Platoon Commander and Company Gunnery Sergeant while deployed to Okinawa, Japan from September 2003 through April 2004.
In July of 2004, Sgt. Maj. Griffith course challenged Drill Instructor School at MCRD Parris Island and was assigned to train Naval Officers at Officers Training Command Pensacola (OTCP), Florida. He served as a Drill Instructor and Battalion SNCOIC where he trained 7 classes.
Upon completion of his assignment at OTCP in April 2007, Sgt. Maj. Griffith was ordered to 1st Battalion 7th Marines, Twenty-Nine Palms, California. He was assigned as the Company First Sergeant for Weapons Company from May 2007 through April 2008 deploying to Hit, Iraq. Upon his return he was assigned to Alpha Company, where he served from April 2008 through August 2009 deploying to Fallujah, Iraq.
In September 2009 Sgt. Maj. Griffith was assigned to 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion (MSOB) where he served as the Company First Sergeant for Fox Company. He subsequently deployed to Herat, Afghanistan from November 2010 through June 2011 in support of Special Operations Task Force 82. After returning from Afghanistan, he attended the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy in Tampa, Florida from October through December 2011 and was selected to his current rank. In December 2011 he was assigned as the Sergeant Major of 3d MSOB until his current assignment as the Sergeant Major of Combat Logistical Battalion 6 in April 2011.
Sgt. Maj. Griffith’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device (3rd Award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3rd Award), Combat Action Ribbon (2nd Award), Good Conduct Medal (6th Award) and the Navy/ Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia.