OST COLUMBIA

Captain Soto, 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 5 years to his wife Shanna and they have two children; Carson Caroline and Bishop Logan. They have a black nosed Maltese, Lady Marmelade. 

Gunnery Sergeant Withers, Officer Selection Assistant
Gunnery Sergeant Withers is originally from Detroit, Michigan and has served as a United States Marine for 12 years.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps on October 19, 1994 and was assigned as an Ammunition Technician. While working in his job field he has was stationed in Okinawa, Japan from 1995 to 1996.  He transferred from Okinawa to Camp Lejeune, N.C. where he served as the Section head for the Ammunition Supply Point from 1996 to 1998.  Gunnery Sergeant Withers transferred back to Okinawa, Japan, where he covered many billets such as the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Ammunition Chief and the Storage Supervisor for the Henoko Ammunition Supply Point from 1998 to 2001.  He left Okinawa and returned to Camp Lejeune where he was assigned as the 6th Marines Regimental Ammunitions Chief and subsequently deployed with MAGTF 6 and the Combined Joint Task Force 187 at Bagram, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2004.  Gunnery Sergeant Withers attended the Recruiters School in 2005, was assigned to Recruiting Station Columbia, and served as an enlisted recruiter for 7 months at PCS Orangeburg, S.C. before he was assigned to his current duties. 

Mrs. Geraldine 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 (29), a son (26), and she enjoys reading in her spare time.

OST CHARLOTTE

1st Lieutenant Stephen 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 2 years to his wife Jessica and they are expecting their first child. They have a Vizsla named Abby that is 2 years old.