MOS 05 Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)
Executive Officer
FOR OUTSTANDING MERITORIOUS SERVICE AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER, 15TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT, FROM OCTOBER 2023 TO MAY 2025. LIEUTENANT COLONEL MILLER'S SUPERB DIRECTION, FORWARD-THINKING, AND DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARINE AIR-GROUND TASK FORCE DROVE THE 15TH MEU TO ACHIEVE EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS DURING PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING, AND THE WESTERN PACIFIC 24.1 DEPLOYMENT. HE ESTABLISHED A CULTURE OF PROFESSIONALISM AND LEARNING THAT ENCOURAGED PROBLEM-SOLVING, INTEGRATION, AND INNOVATION, ENABLING THE MARINES, SAILORS, SOLDIERS, AIRMEN, AND CIVILIANS UNDER HIS CHARGE TO ACCOMPLISH DIVERSE MISSIONS. LIEUTENANT COLONEL MILLER EXPERTLY LED THE STAFF AND FOSTERED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS AND KEY NAVY PERSONNEL, FACILITATING EVOLUTIONARY CHANGES IN THE MEU TASK ORGANIZATION, SUPPORTING OVER 80 OPERATIONS, ACTIVITIES, AND INVESTMENTS WITHIN THE U.S. INDO-PACIFIC THEATER. WITH LIEUTENANT COLONEL MILLER'S UNRELENTING DRIVE FOR PERFECTION, THE 15TH MEU UPHELD THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND CONDUCT WITHIN THE U.S. INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY, NURTURED AND REINFORCED RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMAND AND WITH KEY REGIONAL ALLIES AND PARTNERS. LIEUTENANT COLONEL MILLER'S SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES CULMINATED HIS 21 YEARS OF HONORABLE AND DEDICATED MILITARY SERVICE. LIEUTENANT COLONEL MILLER'S EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM, INITIATIVE, AND LOYAL DEDICATION TO DUTY REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT UPON HIM AND UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
MAGTF Planner
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT WHILE SERVING AS THE MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE PLANNER, 25TH MARINE REGIMENT, IN SUPPORT OF THE LITTORAL WARFARE COMMAND FOR UNITAS 24 FROM AUGUST 31 TO SEPTEMBER 13, 2024. DURING THIS PERIOD, LANCE CORPORAL ZAHRADNIK CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED HER DUTIES IN AN EXEMPLARY AND HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. SHE PROVIDED THE DEPUTY LITTORAL WARFARE COMMANDER WITH AN ACCURATE COMMON TACTICAL PICTURE THROUGH THE COMMAND OPERATIONS CENTER. LANCE CORPORAL ZAHRADNIK EFFECTIVELY COMBINED THE BILATERAL UNITED STATES AND CHILEAN MARINE CORPS' POSITIONS AND KNOWN ENEMY TRACKS INTO A COMMON FRAME USED TO RAISE THE COMMANDER'S SITUATIONAL AWARENESS INFORMING HIS DECISION CYCLE. LANCE CORPORAL ZAHRADNIK'S EFFORTS FACILITATED SEAMLESS INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN THE PARNTER FORCES. LANCE CORPORAL ZAHRADNIK ALSO STOOD OVER 100 HOURS OF WATCH IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER. HER ATTENTION TO DETAIL ENABLED THE STAFF TO ACCURATELY TRACK MOVEMENTS FOR FOUR LITTORAL WARFARE COMMAND UNITS ACROSS FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF OPERATION. LANCE CORPORAL ZAHRADNIK'S INITIATIVE, PERSEVERANCE AND DEDICATION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HER AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
Watch Officer, Current Operations Branch
For outstanding meritorious service while serving as Watch Officer and Section Head, Current Operations Branch, Operations Division, Plans, Policies, and Operations, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., from July 2012 to January 2014. Serving initially in the Marine Corps Operations Center from August 2012 to March 2013, Lieutenant Colonel Sampson maintained a keen awareness of all on-going Marine Corps deployments and exercises and kept the senior leadership of the Marine Corps well informed of all Marine Corps operations and events worldwide. During late March 2013, Lieutenant Colonel Sampson assumed duty as the Future Operations Group Section Head. His complete understanding of the complexities associated with coordinating the Global Force Management process enabled the Marine Corps to meet requests for Marine Corps forces worldwide during a particularly demanding period in which the Marine Corps drew down forces in Afghanistan while simultaneously building up forces in support of other Combatant Commanders. Providing relevant, timely, and insightful input, Lieutenant Colonel Sampson was a principal advisor to the Director of Operations on multiple force allocation and sourcing options, force deployments and the movement of Marine forces in support of rotational and emergent Combatant Commander requirements. Lieutenant Colonel Sampson's exceptional professional ability, leadership by personal example, and total devotion to duty reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Civil Affairs Detachment Chief
MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS A CIVIL AFFAIRS DETACHMENT CHIEF WITH 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP, FROM MARCH 2018 TO JUNE 2020. GUNNERY SERGEANT MIRANDA SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AS THE DET 3 CHIEF AND AS THE SENIOR SNCO OF TWO LARGE SCALE COMBINED JOINT EXERCISES. AS THE DET 3 CHIEF, HE LED HIS MARINES WITH NOTEWORTHY SKILL AND ASSISTED IN PLANNING AND EXECUTION THROUGHOUT 25 DRILL PERIODS WITH SEVEN FIELD EXERCISES. FURTHERMORE, HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF DURING TWO EXERCISES, THE JOINT MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE EAGER LION IN THE KINGDOM OF JORDAN IN 2019 AND COMBINED JOINT EXERCISE COBRA GOLD 2020. DURING EAGER LION, HE AUGMENTED THE OPERATIONS STAFF AS THE CJ9 CHIEF, AND LEVERAGED HIS CIVIL AFFAIRS SKILLS TO ADVANCE THE INTENT AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SUPPORTED COMMANDER AND COMMAND STAFF TO GREAT EFFECT. IN ADDITION, HE PLANNED AND EXECUTED DOZENS OF CIVIL ENGAGEMENTS AND CIVIL RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN THAILAND FOR COBRA GOLD. HIS EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE OPERATIONAL READINESS OF THE UNIT. GUNNERY SERGEANT MIRANDA'S INITIATIVE, LEADERSHIP, AND EXPERTISE REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
Civil Affairs Operations Officer
MERITORIOUS SERVICE WHILE SERVING AS G-9 OPERATIONS OFFICER, 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP FROM 31 MAY 2019 TO 14 JUNE 2020. DURING THIS PERIOD, LIEUTENANT COLONEL CALLISON SERVED AS THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING TEAM LEADER FOR THE G-9 MCPP TRAINING COURSE IN PREPARATION FOR PB-19. SHE CONDUCTED AN IN-DEPTH AREA STUDY OF THE PRC, DEVELOPED THE ANNEX G AND 6 SUPPORTING APPENDICES DURING ANNUAL TRAINING IN SUPPORT OF THE EXERCISE AND CONTINUED TO UPDATE CIVIL PRODUCTS TO BEST PREPARE THE G-9 AND I MEF STAFF. SHE SELFLESSLY ASSISTED THE S-3 OPERATIONS OFFICER AND I&I STAFF IN COORDINATING AND EXECUTING THE ANNUAL TRAINING SCENARIO AND FIELD EXERCISES. LIEUTENANT COLONEL CALLISON ALSO PROVIDED VALUABLE WRITTEN AND VERBAL FEEDBACK TO THE G-9 DET COMMANDER AND I&I STAFF WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND STREAMLINE TRAINING. SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL BEHIND 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP'S TASK REORGANIZATION, PIONEERING THE CREATION OF THE G3/9 SECTION TO INCREASE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. LIEUTENANT COLONEL CALLISON'S EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM, UNRELENTING PERSEVERANCE AND LOYAL DEVOTION TO DUTY REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HERSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.
Civil Affairs Detachment Commander
DETACHMENT COMMANDER, 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP, CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA FROM 02 MARCH 2017 TO 14 JUNE 2020. LIEUTENANT COLONEL WARD SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF HIS MARINES AND THE ENTIRE 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP. WHILE DEPLOYED AS CMO WITH COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE - OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE 17, HIS EXPERTISE AND ABILITIES WERE CRITICAL FORCE MULTIPLIERS FOR THE JOINT FORCE COMMANDER. AS A DETACHMENT COMMANDER, HE EXPERTLY SUPPORTED THE MISSION OF 1ST CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP AND ITS SUPPORTED COMMANDS, SETTING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR DETACHMENT EFFICIENCY AND MISSION READINESS. LIEUTENANT COLONEL WARD EFFECTIVELY LED OVER 30 MARINES, TRAINING THEM IN CIVIL AFFAIRS AND ENSURING THEY WERE CAPABLE TO SUPPORT MAGTF OPERATIONS WORLDWIDE. HIS SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTY DURING THIS TOUR CULMINATES TWO TOURS OF HONORABLE, DEDICATED, AND FAITHFUL SERVICE TO 1ST CAG IN TIMES OF WAR AND PEACE. LIEUTENANT COLONEL WARD'S INITIATIVE, LEADERSHIP, AND EXPERTISE REFLECTED CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.