MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Sgt. Maj. Don W. Gallagher relinquished his post as the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing sergeant major to Sgt. Maj. Anthony A. Spadaro during a relief and appointment ceremony on the flight line here, Aug. 19.
Gallagher enlisted in the Marine Corps March 3, 1980. Upon graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, he attended rifleman infantry training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
He received orders in August to Marine Barracks Yokosuka, Japan, and served aboard Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan. In January 1984, he returned to the states with orders to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division and completed a West Pacific deployment.
In August 1987, Gallagher received orders to Drill Instructor School, MCRD San Diego. Upon completion of this tour in August 1990, Gallagher was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay. He deployed to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Gallagher deployed twice with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), Marine Corps Base Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, in 1992 and 1993.
During the summers of 1994 and 1995, Gallagher was assigned to Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va., where he trained candidates. He was sent to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment for duty in 1996 during which he deployed with the 31st MEU and conducted operations in the Western Pacific.
In June 2001, Gallagher returned to MCRD San Diego where he was selected for sergeant major in 2003.
He then reported to and served as the sergeant major for Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 38 where he deployed to Al Asad Air Base in Al Anbar province, Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Gallagher posted as the sergeant major with 1st Marine Regiment in December 2006 and deployed to Fallujah, Al Anbar province, Iraq. After returning in 2009, he posted as the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing sergeant major.
Gallagher’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” and gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Gallagher relinquishes command to Spadaro after 31 years of honorable service.
Spadaro enlisted in the Marine Corps, April 3, 1985. Upon graduating from MCRD Parris Island, S.C., he reported to the Marine Artillery Detachment at Fort Sill, Okla., for training as an artillery fire direction controlman.
He received orders to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., for duty with 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment.
In February 1987, Spadaro was assigned to Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, San Diego, for training as an artillery nuclear projectileman. He then received orders to Marine Security Guard School aboard Quantico, Va., in April 1987. Upon completion of the school, he was assigned as a watch stander with the American Embassy in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.
Spadaro was selected to activate the newly formed Marine Security Guard Detachment in Gaborone, Botswana, as the assistant detachment commander in October 1988. During his tenure, the detachment was honored as the most improved MSG detachment in Fox Company, Marine Security Guard Battalion.
In March 1990, Spadaro was transferred to 1st Marine Division and subsequently assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, for duties as the assistant operations chief and deployed to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in December 1990.
Spadaro was transferred to 11th Marine Regiment and served in several billets to include acting as an intel officer. In April 1994, Spadaro was assigned to be the meteorological chief and a platoon sergeant with the regiment.
He served as a drill instructor at MCRD San Diego in April 1997 where he completed seven recruit training cycles until he was assigned as a Drill Instructor School staff member in July 1999.
In August 2001, he transferred to 3rd Marine Division and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, which participated in the Unit Deployment Program with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. Spadaro deployed to Okinawa in November 2003.
Spadaro returned to MCRD San Diego in July 2004 where he served as a company first sergeant.
He assumed the billet of 1st Recruit Training Battalion sergeant major in August 2005. From July 2007 to April 2009, he served as the squadron sergeant major of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165 and the sergeant major for the Air Combat Element, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
In December 2009, Spadaro was selected as the sergeant major for 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd), I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Spadaro’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon. Spadaro is authorized to wear Naval Aircrewman Insignia and was inducted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara recognizing his contributions to the field artillery in 1996.
| Date Taken: |
08.22.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
08.22.2011 12:09 |
| Story ID: |
75733 |
| Location: |
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA, US |
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499 |
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