Photo By Laurie Pearson | Lieutenant Colonel John Bilas, executive officer, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow,...... read more read more
Lieutenant Colonel John Bilas, switches gears and assumes the role of executive officer aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base
Barstow, California.
“My last duty station was Stuttgart, Germany,” said the lieutenant colonel, noting how the operational tempo is different between Europe and Barstow. In Stuttgart, he served as the assistant chief of staff G-2, Intelligence for Marine Forces Europe and Africa. In their downtime, he and his wife, Kim, took the opportunity to visit myriad other countries on the European continent, such as France, Spain, Norway, and Austria, to name a few.
“It was amazing,” he said. “It will always be a special place to us.”
Their two children are adults and off on their own adventures.
“Our daughter is married and she lives in Florida,” he said, like the proud father he clearly is. “Our son is a Marine and currently serving at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.”
Having a son now in the Marine Corps has had a dramatic impact on his leadership style, he explained.
“My wife and I absolutely love Marines,” he said. “We love all of them. Now that my son is a Marine though, we see all of these young Marines and see them through the eyes of Marine-parents. For each young Marine, there is a parent somewhere thinking of them, and maybe even worrying about them. So, we like to reach out and support the Marines in whatever ways that we can.”
In Germany, Kim became known as “Momma B” to those in the Single Marine Program.
“They loved her!” Bilas said with a smile. “She really embraced them and it meant a lot to her to be able to do that for them.” Christmas time was real special for those Marines who could not travel home. Momma B cooked them a hearty Italian meal.
Having entered the Marine Corps in 1987, these empty nesters have served the Marine Corps together for over 30 years.
“I’ve served at Camp Pendleton, 29 Palms, Camp Lejeune, and have done some time in D.C., too,” he said. “I’ve been on every continent, and had some amazing experiences.”
In Barstow, one of the things he’s already appreciating is the climate.
“My bones feel better so even this morning, Kim and I took a walk, I ran and noticed that things don’t hurt like they do in colder climates,” he said. “Plus allergies aren’t an issue like the have been in other areas. It has led to an overall increased stamina for things such as running.”
He’s also looking forward to a change of pace.
“I’ve been operational my whole career,” Bilas said. “I’ve been tasked with characterizing, identifying threats to U.S. forces, and engaged in operations. I’ve collected intelligence on adversaries, while leading and mentoring intelligence Marines. Now I’m the XO of a logistics base and it’s just a whole different ballgame.”
The mission may be different, but he made two things very clear. He’s looking forward to the challenge; and he loves being with his fellow Marines.
This XO is not a complete stranger to Barstow. In 1993, he was serving as a platoon commander in the Commandant’s Own Silent Drill Platoon.
“We passed through and performed here as part of our west coast tour,” Bilas said.
The platoon trained in Yuma, Arizona then performed for audiences at several locations in the southwest region.
“That’s the number one recruiting tool in the Marine Corps and it was an honor to be a part of it,” he said. “Whether we were performing at events, talking to kids or veterans, it was all really special.”
So far, that’s one of the things that he has noticed about the people here aboard MCLB Barstow, a pride in what they do here.
“I think the people here, everybody I’ve met, is passionate about what they do,” Bilas said. “They care about what they do and they’re proud of what they do and that’s impressive.”
At work, and at play, this executive officer takes pride in doing things to the best of his ability. That includes his appreciation for a good round of golf. If you’re looking for him on a day off, try the golf course.
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2020 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 376055 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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