Press Conference by 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General

MARINE CORPS BASE KANEOHE BAY, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

01.17.2016

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

MARINE CORPS BASE KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii – The commanding general of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Brig. Gen. Russell A. C. Sanborn will deliver remarks on the search and rescue operation in a press conference at 12:00 p.m. HST on 17 January at Hale'iwa Alii Beach Park.

Search and rescue efforts remain ongoing for twelve U.S. Marines after their two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters impacted the water off the coast of Oahu’s Waimea Bay along the North Shore the evening of January 14.

We remain faithful to our Marines and their families as we support them in this trying hour. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time.

Media seeking additional information should contact the Marine Corps Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Timothy Irish at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, via email: [e-mail] and [e-mail] or by phone: [phone]. No RSVP is necessary to attend the press conference but doing so will alert you to changes in time or location.

Biography
Commanding General
Brigadier General Russell A. Sanborn

Brig. Gen. Sanborn was commissioned in May 1986 after graduating from the University of Florida on a NROTC scholarship. Upon completion of The Basic School, he reported to NAS Pensacola, Fla. for primary flight instruction and earned his wings in October 1988 at NAS Meridian, Miss.

Brig. Gen. Sanborn reported to MCAS Cherry Point, NC for AV-8B transition training in November 1988. His initial assignment was to VMA-231, where he served in both operational and maintenance billets. While serving with VMA-231 he completed two deployments, first to Iwakuni, Japan and then to Southwest Asia, where he participated in Operation Desert Storm. On 9 February 1991, Captain Sanborn was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over southern Kuwait during his 17th combat mission. He was captured and held as an Iraqi POW until his release on 6 March 1991.

In July 1992, Brig. Gen. Sanborn reported to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Camp Lejeune, N.C. where he served as a Forward Air Controller. During this tour, he received a Master of Science in Business Administration from Boston University in December 1992.

In July 1993, Brig. Gen. Sanborn returned to MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. where he was assigned to VMA-542 and was selected as a cadre member of the Fleet Introduction Team, which introduced the new AV-8B Harrier II+ to the USMC. In March 1994, Brig. Gen. Sanborn was reassigned to VMA-231 where he again served in both operational and maintenance billets. In June 1996, Brig. Gen. Sanborn deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with the first AV-8B Harrier II+ detachment as part of HMM-365 and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. During this deployment, he took part in combat operations Joint Endeavor, Silverwake, and Guardian Retrieval.

Returning to CONUS in June 1997, Brig. Gen. Sanborn was assigned to Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Md. where he served as the Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineering for the AV-8B. In July 2000, he attended the resident Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Va. and in July 2001 Brig. Gen. Sanborn returned to MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. for duty as the Executive Officer of VMA- 542. In January 2003, he returned to Iraq with the squadron and participated in combat operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.

Upon returning from OIF in May 2003, Brig. Gen. Sanborn was reassigned to MAG-14 as the Group Operations Officer. He slated for command of VMA-542 and returned to the squadron in April 2004 prior to the squadron’s redeployment to Iraq for OIF II. Brig. Gen. Sanborn assumed command of VMA-542 in June 2004 while the squadron was deployed at Al Asad, Iraq. During his tour, VMA-542 won the Lawson H.M. Sanderson Marine Attack Squadron of the Year award.

Following his command tour, he attended the Industrial College of Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Va. from July 2006 until June 2007 graduating with a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy and the Senior Acquisition Course. Upon graduation, he was reassigned to the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office in Washington, D.C. where he served as the Director of Air Systems Requirements.

In May 2009, Brig. Gen. Sanborn took command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 at Cherry Point. MAG-14 is the largest Air Group in the Marine Corps with over 100 aircraft and 3,400 personnel. Following command, Brig. Gen. Sanborn served as the Assistant Wing Commander for 2nd MAW (Forward) deploying to Afghanistan until May 2011.

From July 2011 until July 2013, he was assigned as the Deputy Director J-3, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Prior to assuming command of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, he served as the Director of Marine and Family Programs, HQMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Brig. Gen. Sanborn has accumulated over 2,400 hours in the AV-8B. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Strike/Flight Award with numeral 8, Individual Air Medal with Combat V, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star and a Combat Action Ribbon.

• Date Taken: 01.17.2016
• Date Posted: 01.17.2016 10:42
• Story ID: 186471
• Location: MARINE CORPS BASE KANEOHE BAY, HAWAII, US