Dave Harrill
Lieutenant Colonel USMC (Ret)
Senior Marine Instructor
Lieutenant Colonel Harrill enlisted in 1987 and was commissioned in May 1993 after graduation from Auburn University with a BA in English.
Following The Basic School and Infantry Office Course, he was assigned to the 2ndMarine Division in 1994 where he served as a Platoon Commander and Executive Officer with Kilo Company and Weapons Company 3rd Battalion, 6thMarines completing one deployment to Okinawa, Japan, one MEU(SOC) deployment to the Mediterranean, and participated in contingency operations in Haiti/Cuba .
In 1998, he reported to the 4th Marine Division, where he served as the Inspector-Instructor and Commanding Officer for TOW Platoon, 23rd Marines in Broussard Louisiana. In the winter of 2000, he was assigned as a student at the Armor Captains Captain’s Career Course and Cavalry Leaders Course in Fort Knox Kentucky where he graduated with honors.
In June of 2001, he was transferred to the 1st Marine Division where he served until November 2004 as Golf Company Commander and Operations Officer for the “Magnificent Bastards,” 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. As a Company Commander, he completed two 31stMEU(SOC) deployments, and as the Operations Officer fought the battalion in Ramadi, Iraq.
In November of 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Harrill was assigned to Marine Corps Recruiting Station Richmond, Virginia as Commanding Officer. During this time he led Marine Recruiting for the state of Virginia.
Following Recruiting duty, he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, graduated with honors, and the School of Advanced Warfighting where he earned two Masters Degrees.
From July of 2009 to January of 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Harrill served with the 2ndMarine Regiment as the Operations Officer.
From January of 2010 to December of 2011, Lieutenant Colonel Harrill served as the Battalion Commander for “America’s Battalion,” 2nd Battalion, 8thMarines. While the battalion commander, he led Task Force 2/8 in Marjah, Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Harrill retired as the the Regimental Executive Officer for 2ndMarine Regiment in April of 2012.
He began duties as the Senior Marine Instructor (SMI) for Germantown High School in May of 2012.
Lieutenant Colonel Harrill’s personal decorations include: The Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with combat “V,” the Purple Heart Medal, Meritorious Services Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon (second award).
Lieutenant Colonel Harrill is married to Joanne Bell Harrill and they have 2 children.
Rick Caisse
Sergeant Major USMC (Ret)
SgtMaj Caisse grew up in various states and countries while his father was in the military, mainly living in N.H. He attended High School at Con-Val Regional High School in N.H.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1983 and attended basic training at MCRD Parris Island, SC. In May of 1983 he reported to Field Radio Operator School in MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA. Upon completing this school, he reported for duty with Company C, 2nd Amphibious Assault Vehicles Battalion at Camp LeJeune, NC.
After his tour at 2nd AAV Bn, SgtMaj Caisse served a one year tour in Okinawa, Japan with 7th Communications Bn completing two deployments to Korea for Team Spirit and Bear Hunt exercises and being a member of the 9th Marine Regiment football team .
Upon completing his tour in Okinawa, he reported back to Camp LeJeune for duty. During this period he completed numerous NATO and Mediterranean Sea deployments to include a Non Permissive Non-combatant Evacuation Operation in Monrovia, Liberia (Operation Sharp Edge). Upon returning from this last deployment, SgtMaj Caisse was assigned as the platoon sergeant for a nucleus that was formed to deploy to Saudi Arabia for Operation’s Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Once in Saudi Arabia the nucleus formed into an MCSSD. During Desert Storm SgtMaj Caisse (then a Sergeant) was a squad leader tasked with both mobile communications and convoy security.
After this tour at Camp LeJeune, he reported to MCAS El Toro, CA. Assigned as platoon sergeant at MWCS-28, SgtMaj Caisse completed numerous MEF exercises and two double CAXs at MCAGCC 29 Palms. In December of 1992 he was a part of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia serving as both Communications Marine and providing convoy security for G-2 Marine Forces Headquarters.
In April of 1994, he reported to Recruiters School with subsequent orders to recruiting duty in Northwest Georgia. After serving three successful years in Georgia, he was given orders to 1st Bn, 6th Marines (1/6) at Camp LeJeune, N.C. Completing two deployments with 1/6; one a UDP in Camp Schwab, Okinawa; the other a Mediterranean Sea deployment that included a stop in Kosovo for Operation’s Noble Anvil and Allied force.
In 2000, SgtMaj Caisse reported in to the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) at Cherry Point, N.C. While at the DASC he served as Radio Chief, Communications Chief and Squadron Gunnery Sergeant. He participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom with Task Force Tarawa Forward during the battle of An Nasaria.
Upon selection to 1stSgt, he received orders to I&I Duty in Lynchburg, VA. He served the subsequent three years in this duty participating in numerous casualty assistance calls, funerals and community relations activities. He was assigned as the company 1stSgt for a one-year period during this tour also.
In April of 2007, SgtMaj Caisse received orders to Combat Logistics Regiment 17 and was assigned as the Company 1stSgt of Landing Support Company.
Seven weeks into this assignment he received orders to Combat Logistics Battalion 15 as the Battalion Sergeant Major.
Selected to his present rank, SgtMaj Caisse received orders to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (The World Famous Purple Foxes) where he served a tour in Al Tequedum, Iraq with the priority mission being casualty evacuation.
Upon return to the U.S., SgtMaj Caisse received orders as the SgtMaj of VMGR-252 at Cherry Point where he served one tour at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan with MALS-40, 2d MAW FWD.
SgtMaj Caisse retired from active duty 01 February 2013 and is now a MCJROTC Instructor at Germantown High School in Madison, Mississippi.
SgtMaj Caisse’s personal decorations include four Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and two Combat Action Ribbons.
SgtMaj Caisse is married to the former Stephanie Hanson and has a beautiful daughter named Nicole.
