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VMI In Command: LtCol Scott Leonard, USMC, VMI '89
By Lt Col P
First of all, apologies for my absence of late. My wife and I welcomed Honorable Number 2 Son exactly one month ago, and he's been keeping us busy. All hands are doing well too, I'm pleased to relate.
Here's another entry in our irregular series on VMI men in command throughout the military:
In the summer of 92, when I was a Lieutenant on active duty (FDO in A Battery, 1st Bn, 10th Marines), my roommate and BR, who was Motor-T Officer in 3d Bn, 2d Marines, came home one night and said, "Guess who I saw today at 3/2." I gave it the obligatory three tries and was wrong each time; "I give up-- who?"
"Brother Rat Scott Leonard."
"Scott Leonard?? What was he doing at 3/2??"
"Checking in, as an Infantry Officer!"
Sure enough, there he was, having heard the trumpet's blast in 1991, a good two years after we graduated. He sure as hell has made up for lost time, too; check out his bio:
LtCol Scott D. Leonard
Commanding Officer,
1st LAR Bn
A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Lieutenant Colonel Scott D. Leonard graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in May 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation, he was employed as an aeronautical engineer by the Naval Air Systems Command before attending Officers Candidate School. Upon graduation from OCS in August 1991 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and after completion of The Basic School and the Infantry Officer's Course he reported to 2nd Marine Division and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. There he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Combined Anti-Armor Team Platoon Commander and Company Executive officer from July 1992 through May 1995.
In July 1995, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard transferred to 8th Motor Transport Battalion, where served as the Commanding Officer, Headquarters and Service Company and subsequently Commanding Officer, C Company. From June 1996 to July 1997, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard served as the Aide-de-Camp for the Deputy Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
From July 1997 to June 1998, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard attended the Amphibious Warfare School. Upon graduation, he was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, where he initially served as the Assistant Operations Officer. From Sept 1998 through July 2000, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard served as Commanding Officer, Company B when he was subsequently assigned as Commanding Officer, Weapons Company where he served until June 2001.
In July 2001 Lieutenant Colonel Leonard was assigned to Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, where he served as Head, Combat Arms Enlisted Assignments Section (MMEA-82) and Assistant Branch Head, Enlisted Assignments Branch (MMEA-8A). In January 2004 Lieutenant Colonel Leonard deployed to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II with CJTF-7 where he served as an operational planner in the CJ-5 Strategic Plans and Policies section.
In July 2004 Lieutenant Colonel Leonard attended the Naval War College where he graduated with Highest Distinction and earned a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies. Upon graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard transferred to 2nd Marine Division in June 2005 where he served in the G-3 Current Operations and as the Future Operations Plans Officer for RCT-2 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 04-06. In January 2006, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard was reassigned as the Executive Officer for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines and deployed in July 2006 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 05-07. Promoted to his current rank in May 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard was reassigned as the Commanding Officer, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division from June 2007 to December 2007 hen he transferred to 1st Marine Division.
Lieutenant Colonel Leonard's personal awards include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Gold Star in Lieu of 2d Award), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
It was in Baghdad, at the Al-Faw Palace, that I saw him in February 04, and he proceeded to give one of the most cogent and interesting interviews I did in my tour there. Congrats, BR, and good luck with command!
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Comments
oh christ BN beat me to it...
Listen, I know he's ME, but let's not hold it against him.
You know the difference between a Mechanical Eng and a Civil Eng?
MEs build weapons, CEs targets
LtCol P: CONGRATS!
Between building weapons and targets, it still takes an English major to use said weapon to destroy said target. Check-&-a-Rog!
LtCol. P, congrats on the birth of your #2 son.
Re: LtCol. Leonard, it must be pretty cool to go back as the XO to the unit you started as a boot in.
Oorah!
S/F,
thebronze
(former 1/1 and 3/1 Marine)
by the way... not that an injineer would pick up on it (harrrr)... fantastic invocation of Lays of Ancient Rome
Ah, My dear friend and colleague,
I remember it like it was yesterday. I am glad to see BR Leonard has done so well.
Congratulations on Son #2 !!!!
Rah Rah Rah
Scott Leonard was a special student with me in NS 401 & NS 402.
Who in the hell decided to cut-and-paste his head on a Marine Corps uniform? And write the fake bio!
I'm calling the cops. Or the MP's. Or the National Guard.
Derek - when LtCol P told me that Scott was now a battalion commander, I had some similar thoughts...
After the summer of '88, we arrived on post for our First Class year. Cadet Leonard showed up with some suspicious blonde streaks in his black hair. Are we to believe LtCol Leonard's current discoloration is due to Father Time or Loreal? The highlights seems to be in the same place.
In all seriousness, I am in awe of his impressive résumé. I wish I could take a mulligan on my last 19 years.
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It was a very nice idea! Just wanna say thank you for the information you have shared. Just continue writing this kind of post. I will be your loyal reader. Thanks again.
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Dude, I was going to send you a note to do this post. TONIGHT...
Just for John's sake, I need to point out that Scotty was a fellow Mechanical Engineer, and he spent many late nights with us in NEB.
I wish him the best of luck and I am glad to see that he has done well in the Marine Corps.