Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan, Jr.

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan, commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) and Regional Command Southwest.  

AFGHANISTAN

08.04.2011

Courtesy Story

Regional Command Southwest

Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan, Jr. was born in Brooklyn, graduated Xavier H.S. and Fordham University in NYC. Commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Class program, he graduated the Basic school in April 1977, and was assigned as an Infantry officer with 1st Battallion 9th Marines in Okinawa, Japan.

After three years at MCRD San Diego, Calif., where he also met and married his bride Helen Baygent of El Paso, Texas, he was re-assigned to 2nd Bn 7th Marines as an infantry company commander. During this tour, now Capt. Sean Toolan USMC was born.

In 1986, assigned to the University of Pennsylvania as the Marine officer instructor, Cara Lee arrived and the family headed to Camp Lejeune as II MEF staff secretary and 2nd Light Armored Infantry battalion. DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM and the birth of our youngest Beth highlighted this tour in the Carolina MAGTF. With family complete, Manpower Officer Assignments became the next challenge until 1994 when selected for command of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, "Wolfpack" in 29 Palms, Calif.

Selected for the Air Force War College in Montgomery, Ala., then subsequently assigned as the Deputy J5 at Supreme Allied Headquarters, Mons, Belgium. Bosnia and Kosovo, especially ALLIED FORCE consumed duties in Europe. Selected to command Weapons Field Training Battalion back in Camp Pendleton from 2000-2002, then reassigned to 1st Marine Division as the Operations Officer, where the division was deployed to the Kuwaiti theater in preparation for "IRAQI FREEDOM".

In March 2003 selected to command Regimental Combat Team 1, Baghdad was secured, the RCT returned home and then redeployed for OIF II and the Al Anbar province. Fresh with lessons learned from Iraq, they were then applied to the education of young majors when assigned as the director of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.

Promoted to brigadier general in July 2006, he was assigned as the principal director for Asia/Pacific Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in Washington DC.

In August 2009, he was assigned as the deputy commander, U. S. Forces, Japan.

In July 2010, Maj. Gen. Toolan assumed his current position as the Commanding General, 2d Marine Division.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, (3) Legion of Merit of which (2) Combat "V", and the Combat Action Ribbon.

• Date Taken: 08.04.2011
• Date Posted: 08.04.2011 11:57
• Story ID: 74838
• Location: AF