Brigadier General Ronald F. Baczkowski
Deputy Commander, U. S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific
Brigadier General Baczkowski currently serves as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific.
He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned in May 1980. After completing The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and U.S. Army Ranger Course, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines where he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer. During this assignment he deployed to Beirut, Lebanon from May to December 1983.
In 1984 he served at The Basic School as a tactics instructor and later served as an instructor at the Infantry Officers Course. Following this assignment, he attended the Amphibious Warfare School. Upon graduation, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines where he served as Assistant Operations Officer. He assumed command of Kilo Company 3/1 in July 1990 and deployed to Operation DESERT STORM as part of 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
In 1992 he was assigned to the Amphibious Warfare School as a tactics instructor and Ground Combat Occupational Field Enhancement Course coordinator. He graduated from the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff course in 1995 and was assigned to Marine Forces Pacific where he served as Ground Operations Officer, Operations Division.
In 1998 he was assigned to 1st Marine Division where he served as Current Operations Officer. In July 1999 he assumed command of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. During this assignment, the battalion deployed to Okinawa, became Battalion Landing Team 2/4 and served as the Ground Combat Element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).
He attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and upon graduation in 2002 was assigned to the U.S. European Command where he served as Chief, Campaign Plans Division. He assumed command of the 4th Marine Regiment in July 2004 and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom II for duty as Senior Advisor to the First Division, New Iraqi Army. In November 2005 he was assigned as Director, Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group, Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force Training Command. He served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command from August 2008 until June 2010. He served as the Deputy, Deputy Chief of Staff Stability, International Security and Assistance Force from July 2010 to July 2011.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy and Master of Science degrees from the University of Southern California, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His personal decorations include The Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Marine Corps Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy Marine Corps Achievement medal with a gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon with two gold stars.