Woodland, Calif., native and Marine OEF and OIF veteran is promoted to next rank

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero | Woodland, Calif., native Gunnery Sgt. Marcuss A. Hernandez, was pinned on to his present rank by his wife, Summer, and by Master Sgt. Robert McMillan, senior enlisted adviser of the Training and Instructor Group in Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group during a promotion ceremony at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, Va. Hernandez is a veteran of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom and is currently serving as an infantry skills instructor at the unit.  

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

01.04.2012

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero 

Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Long time Woodland, Calif., native Marcuss A. Hernandez was promoted to the rank of gunnery sergeant in the United States Marine Corps during a ceremony with fellow Marines aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, Jan. 4.

Hernandez, who received his high school diploma from Woodlands High School in 1996, is currently serving as an infantry skills instructor for the Training and Instructor Group (TIG) at Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group (MCSCG) in Virginia Beach, Va.

Since enlisting in January 1997, he has participated in eight deployments, including combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Hernandez deployed to Iraq during the initial invasion in 2003 and he deployed twice to Afghanistan, serving as an infantry adviser to the Afghan National Army during his first tour and as a platoon sergeant with Fox Company, Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment during his second tour.
During his 15-year career, he has trained and mentored more than 1,500 Marines for combat operations. He recently returned from a six-month deployment to the Republic of Georgia where he assisted in training the Georgian 31st Light Infantry Battalion in preparation to their combat deployment to Afghanistan.

Hernandez lives in the Virginia Beach area of Virginia along with his wife Summer and their 1-month old son, Chase.
His parents Dave Flores and Dolores Hernandez still resides in Woodland, Calif., area.

Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group is a unit in the Marine Corps that coordinates, manages, executes, and evaluates United States Marine Corps Security Cooperation programs and activities, to include assessment, planning, related education and training, and adviser support to ensure unity of effort in building Partner Nation Security Forces (PNSF) capacity and capability in order to facilitate USMC and regional Marine Forces component support to combatant commanders security cooperation objectives.

• Date Taken: 01.04.2012
• Date Posted: 01.04.2012 16:16
• Story ID: 82025
• Location: VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US