Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero | Long time Slidell, Louisiana resident and Marine OIF veteran was promoted to the rank...... read more read more
Subscribe
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Long time Slidell, La., resident and Iraq War veteran was promoted to the rank of gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps during a ceremony with Marines and sailors from Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek – Fort Story, Va., April 2.
Rawls, who graduated from North Shore High School in 1995, is currently serving as a contracting specialist at Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group.
Since enlisting in October 2001, Rawls has provided contracting support to more than 10,000 Marines, Sailors and foreign military personnel in support of various operations throughout the globe to include Operation Iraqi Freedom.
One of the highlights of his career was the contracting support he provided at Polish Army Base Forward Operating Base Echo while deployed to Diwaniyah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. During this six-month deployment, Rawls awarded 172 contracts valued at more than $7 million for mission critical supplies, services and construction. His efforts during this deployment were praiseworthy and Rawls was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, which is the third highest award bestowed upon military members by the Department of Defense. The award is given to service members who distinguish themselves by non-combat outstanding achievement or meritorious service.
Another highlight of his career was Rawls’ six-month deployment to the Republic of Georgia where he served as the training chief in support of the Georgia Deployment Program - International Security Assistance Force in 2009. GDP-ISAF is a United States European Command directed program, which is lead by U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe that trains and equips Republic of Georgia infantry battalions to serve alongside Marines in Afghanistan. During this deployment, Rawls supervised the training and education of more than 725 Georgians.
Rawls lives in the Virginia Beach, Va., with his wife Jul Ann Rawls, who is originally from Manila, Philippines, and their three children.
His parents Ray and Joy Rawls still reside in Slidell, La., area.
The rank of gunnery sergeant is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Marine Corps. The rank is just above the rank of staff sergeant and below master sergeant and first sergeant. Marines with this rank are staff non-commissioned officer and have a pay grade of E-7.
Well-known Marines who achieved the rank of gunnery sergeant include World War II Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone whose story was portrayed in the HBO miniseries “The Pacific” and retired Marine R. Lee Ermey, who may be best remembered for his acting role as drill instructor Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in the film “Full Metal Jacket.”
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, military related education and training, and advisor support to ensure unity of effort in building Partner Nation Security Forces capacity and capability in order to facilitate USMC and regional Marine Forces component support to combatant commanders security cooperation objectives.
| Date Taken: | 04.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2012 10:52 |
| Story ID: | 86286 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | SLIDELL, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 232 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Slidell, La., native and Marine OIF veteran promoted, by GySgt Alexis Mulero, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
