OST COLUMBIA

Captain John F Soto Jr., Officer Selection Officer
Captain Soto was born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX.  He attended The Citadel and graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration in 2001.  He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant through the Platoon Leader Class program and was assigned to The Basic School.  He was designated a Logistics Officer, attended the Logistics Officers Course at Camp Johnson, NC and reported to 2d Transportation Support Battalion (TSB), 2d FSSG, Camp Lejeune, NC where he was assigned as the Landing Support (LS) Platoon Commander, Bravo Company in 2003.   In December 2003, his unit was attached to CSSD 26 to provide the Landing Support capability for MAGTF 6, in support of Combined Arms Exercise (CAX) 03/04-04 and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant.  In 2004 he was reassigned to Bravo Company, 2d TSB where his unit was tasked with providing the Arrival/Departure Air Control Group (A/DACG) capability at Al-Asad, Iraq and follow on capability at Al-Taqaddum, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 02-04.  Upon his return to the U.S. in 2005, he was assigned as the battalion Logistics Officer and the Headquarters & Service (H&S) Company Commander for 2d TSB.  He transferred to Recruiting Station Columbia in 2006 where he began his current duties and was promoted to Captain.  He has been married for 7 years to his wife Shanna and they have two children; Carson Caroline and Bishop Logan and an extremely dangerous black nosed Maltese, Lady Marmelade. 

Gunnery Sergeant Brandon Millsaps, Officer Selection Assistant
Gunnery Sergeant Millsaps is originally from Hiddenite, NC and has served as a United States Marine for 10 years.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps on February 23, 1998.  His first duty station was Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona as an Administrative Clerk for MWSS 371 until November 2001.  In December 2001, he reported to duty as an Administrative Chief for 3D Intelligence BN in Okinawa, Japan.  Shortly thereafter he discovered the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.  In February 2003, he attended the Black Belt Instructor Trainer Course at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence in Quantico, VA.  Upon returning from the course to Okinawa, he was selected to work as a lead instructor for the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Far East School.  During this time he certified many Marines and traveled to Mainland Japan, Korea, and Thailand to instruct Marines as well as foster ties with military units from other countries. He was then selected to work as an Instructor Trainer at the MACE where he reported for duty December 2004.  During his time at the MACE, he worked as an IT for several courses including MAIT, MAI, instructing new Lieutenants in Tan Belt training, and has traveled to Germany, Brazil, Africa, and around the United States as an instructor for the MACE.  While at the MACE, he had the opportunity to work as an advisor on the new Combat Conditioning Program for the Marine Corps, conducting numerous courses, studies, and tests.  Due to his involvement in the Combat Conditioning Program, he was featured in the March issue of Men's Health Magazine on the 2008 Poster Series in an article titled "Train Like a Marine". In July 2008, he reported to Recruiting Station Columbia to select the future leaders of the Marine Corps.  Gunnery Sergeant Millsaps is a MCMAP 4th Degree Black Belt Instructor Trainer and a certified Combat Conditioning Specialist Instructor.  Outside the Marine Corps he is also a certified USA Weightlifting Club Coach and Sports Performance Coach.  He has been married for 9 years to his wife Bobbi.  They have no children, but do however own a vicious Maltese, Rocko. 

Mrs. Geraldine P Griffin, Human Resources Assistant
Mrs. Griffin is originally from Columbus, Georgia and has served as a government employee for over 26 years.  She has traveled with her husband, who served in the US Army, to duty sites in Greece, Korea, Japan, Germany, Hawaii, and four state-side locations before her husband retired in 1994.  As a Department of Defense civilian employee, she has worked with the Navy, Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and the Dept. of Defense Dependent School system.  Mrs. Griffin still enjoys traveling and plans to travel more overseas when she retires.  She has a daughter (30), a son (27), and she enjoys reading in her spare time.

OST CHARLOTTE

Captain (select) Stephen P Pinkerton , Officer Selection Officer
Lt Pinkerton was born and raised in East Tawas, Michigan. He attended Albion College and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology in 2002. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant through the OCC program and was assigned to The Basic School. He was designated an Artillery Officer and attended Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Upon completion of MOS school, he reported to Lima Battery, 3d Bn, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Twenty-Nine Palms, California where he was assigned as a Forward Observer. In August 2005, he deployed to Okinawa, Japan in support of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP). He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in March 2006 before his unit deployed as a firing battery in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in August. While deployed, he served as an LAV Platoon Commander while attached with 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2d LAR) in Rawah, Iraq. Upon returning to the U.S. in 2007 he was assigned as the Battalion Operations officer. He was later transferred to Recruiting Station Columbia where he began his current duties. He has been married for 3 years to his wife Jessica and they have 1 daughter, Reagan Michelle. They have a Vizsla named Abby that is 3 years old.

Gunnery Sergeant Creighton P Scott, Officer Selection Assistant
Gunnery Sergeant Creighton P. Scott enlisted into the Marine Corps from Houston, TX in July 1994.  He began recruit training with Third Battalion, Lima Company at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, on November 7, 1994. Upon completion of recruit training and Marine Combat Training, he was transferred to Marine Corps Communications and Electronics School in Twenty-Nine Palms, California.  In August 1995, he was assigned to 2nd Surveillance Intelligence Group, 8th Communications Battalion, Charlie Company, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  He served as MIMMS NCO, site chief, and Marksmanship Coach.  During this tour of duty,  he volunteered to deploy with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), where he participated in a Non-combatant Evacuation Operation of over 3,000 people in  Freetown, Sierra Leone, as well as a security mission of the Relindja Ridge housing complex Tirana, Albania.  He was then re-assigned to 8th Communications Battalion as the Battalion Assistant Security Manager until 2000.  In 2000, he reported to 3rd Combat Service Support Group in Honolulu, Hawaii.  In 2002, he attended the Radio Systems Chiefs Course in Twenty-Nine Palms, California, before reporting to Marine Corps Communications Electronic School for instructor duty, training Multi-Channel Equipment Operator and Troposcatter Equipment Operators for the Fleet Marine Force in March of 2003.  He served as the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, Curriculum Developer, covering four courses while earning the Formal School instructor Basic rating and 1st Degree Black Belt instructor rating in March of 2005.  In January 2006, he was attached to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, Kilo Battery, as Communications Chief.  This tour included a deployment to Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) and Pre deployment training as a Platoon Sergeant in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In July 2007, he was assigned to duty as 3rd Battalion, 11TH Marines, Radio Chief.  He attended the Recruiters School in 2007 and was assigned to Recruiting Station Columbia where he currently serves as the Officer Selection Assistant at Officer Selection Station, Charlotte, NC.

Mr. Tyrone Thomas, Human Resources Assistant
Mr. Thomas is originally from Charleston, South Carolina and has served the Marine Corps on active duty for 14 years.  He has been working as a government employee for 3 years.  During his is time on active duty he has been to Iraq, Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Somalia, Operation Restore Hope.  He considers his tour as a Drill Instructor one of his most rewarding accomplishments.  Mr. Thomas is married with two children, a daughter (7), a son (13), and in his spare time he enjoys playing basketball.