1. United States Marine Corps
Chief Warrant Officer 4
Armando Garcia Jr.
Infantry Weapons Officer
4th
Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th
MarDiv
After serving with the United States Air Force from 1981 to 1985 and honorably
discharged in April 1985; CWO4 Garcia enlisted in the United States Marine Corps May
1985 and graduated from San Diego MDCRD, Ca. boot camp in August 1985 as a
Private First Class with the assigned MOS 1411/Construction Draftsman. He reported to
Ft Belvoir, Va. for MOS training and graduated in December 1985 as a meritorious
Lance Corporal.
In December 1985, CWO4 Garcia reported for duty to H & S Company (Drafting &
Surveying Section), 7th
Engineers Support Battalion, 1st
FSSG, Camp Pendleton, Ca. to
serve as a Construction Draftsman. After completing numerous engineer projects, in
September 1986, CWO4 Garcia was meritoriously promoted to Corporal. In March 1988
CWO4 Garcia received orders to MWSS-171, 1ST
MAW, Iwakuni, Japan, where he
continued his duties abroad, to include Yechon, Korea, in support of unit exercises
“Team Spirit” & “Bear Hunt”.
December 1988 CWO4 Garcia was reassigned to 4th
Reconnaissance Battalion, due to a
humanitarian. He served as an S3 Clerk until his reenlistment and lateral move to the
0331 MOS, Infantry Machine Gunner. In June 1989, CWO4 Garcia reported to Weapons
Company, 1st
Battalion, 1st
Marines (1/1), 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca, serving in the
billet of Heavy Machine Gun Team Leader. In September 1989, CWO4 Garcia was
promoted to Sergeant and was reassigned as a Heavy Machine Gun Section Leader.
After completing one 15th
MEU deployment and one combat tour in support of “Desert
Shield/Desert Storm”, CWO4 Garcia reenlisted with orders to San Diego, MCRD, Drill
Instructor (DI) School on October 1991, upon graduation, CWO4 Garcia was assigned to
3rd
Battalion, 1ST
Recruit Training Regiment.
2. Completing a successful Drill Instructor tour, in January 1993, CWO4 Garcia reported to
Weapons Platoon, Golf Company, 2nd
Battalion, 9th
Marines (2/9), 1st
MarDiv, Camp
Pendleton, Ca, as the 60mm Mortar Section Leader. Carrying out his successful duties
by completing a battalion CAX at MCAGCC, 29 Palms, Ca, he was reassigned as a
Machine Gun Section Leader. While on his 31st
MEU deployment, aboard the USS
Dubuque, with 2nd
Battalion, 4th
Marines, formerly 2/9, in January 1995, CWO4 Garcia
again was reassigned as the 1st
Platoon Sergeant, completing a prosperous CARAT
exercise deployment.
Upon return to CONUS in May 1996, CWO4 Garcia volunteered for the 21st
Century
Warfare experimental project “Sea Dragon,” with 3rd
Battalion, 4th
Marines (3/4), 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca, serving with Weapons Company as a Heavy Machine Gun
Section leader and eventually as the Platoon Sergeant. In September 1996, CWO4
Garcia was promoted to Staff Sergeant.
In Dec 1996, CWO4 Garcia received unexpected orders to 1st
Platoon, Charlie Company,
1st
Battalion, 1st
Marines (1/1), 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca, completing two
successful deployments with 13th
& 15 MEU, aboard the USS Peleliu as the Platoon
Sergeant.
In February 2000, CWO4 Garcia reenlisted and was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant.
That same month he received orders to Weapons Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st
Battalion,
5th
Marines (1/5), 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca. as the Platoon Sergeant. In May
1999, CWO4 Garcia was reassigned and appointed as the 4th
Platoon Commander, that
consisted of two squads: 1st
Squad “Coxswains” and 2nd
Squad, Scout Swimmers.
In February 2001, CWO4 Garcia was commissioned as Chief Warrant Officer 2, Marine
Gunner. He then reported to The Basic School followed by the Infantry Officer Course
(IOC). Upon completing IOC in September 2001, he received orders and reported to duty
with 3d Battalion, 1st
Marines, 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca. as the Battalion Gunner.
He went on to complete an 11th
MEU deployment, aboard the USS Belleauwood and
three combat tours in support of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”.
In September 2006, CWO4 Garcia received orders to 1st
Marines, 1st
MarDiv, Camp
Pendleton, Ca, as the Regimental Gunner and the Infantry Simulator Marksmanship
Trainer (ISMT) OIC.
In February 2007, CWO4 Garcia volunteered to fill a vacant billet to 1st
Light Armored
Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st
MarDiv, Camp Pendleton, Ca, completing two combat
tours in support of “Operation Iraqi Freedom” as the Battalion Gunner.
In July 2009, CWO4 Garcia received orders to 4th
Reconnaissance Battalion, Ft. Sam
Houston, Tx, to assume duties in the integrated billet as the Inspector Instructor Gunner.
Establishing for the first time, the billet of the Infantry Weapons Officer and succeeding
in the preparation of two battalion annual training events.
3. In January 2011, CWO4 Garcia was chosen to assume the additional duties as Company
“C”, Inspector Instructor and Reserve Company “C” Commander. In which time he
completed two field drills, a complete stand-down, thus raising the company’s combat
readiness to 90% and preparing the company for their annual training for “Shared Accord
11”, South Africa.
CWO4 Garcia’s military schools include: Ranger, Airborne, Summer Mountain Leader,
Foreign Weapons Instructor, Platoon Sergeant, Helicopter Rope Suspension
Techniques Master, Military Operations Urban Terrain, Jungle Warfare
Training, Naval Gunfire, Philippines, ANGLICO Spotter, Small Weapons
Instructor Course, Laser CAT II, Combat Life Saver, Marine Corps Tactics
and Operations Group, Sergeant, Career, and Advance schools, Drill Instructor,
Combat Martial Arts Instructor, Machine Gun Division Schools, USAF Security
Forces Academy.