Elliott, Craig, LtCol

Aircraft Maintenance

Service Photo

Service Details

Current Service Status
USMC Retired

Current/Last Rank
Lieutenant Colonel

Current/Last Primary MOS
6004-Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Officer

Current/Last MOSGroup
Aircraft Maintenance

Previously Held MOS
6015-Aircraft Mechanic, AV-8/TAV-8
6025-Aircraft Power Plants Mechanic, Rolls Royce Pegasus
8156-Marine Security Guard
6035-Aircraft Power Plants Test Cell Operator, Fixed Wing

Primary Unit
2018-2021, 6004, 4th MAW

Service Years
1988 - 2021

Foreign Languages

Arabic-Standard

Japanese

Spanish

Swahili

Official/Unofficial USMC Certificates

Certificate of Commendation

Desert Rat

Cold War Certificate

Meritorious Mast

Shellback Certificate

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Operation Enduring Freedom

Persian Excursion

Iwo Jima Certificate

Official Badges

Unofficial Badges

Military Associations and Other Affiliations

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)


	1997, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
	2002, Marine Corps Mustang Association
	2020, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)
	2021, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Chapter 15 (Life Member) (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Additional Information

What are you doing now:
Not Specified

Other Comments:

Remembrance Profiles - 2 Marines Remembered

Dixon, Kelly, Sgt, (1991-1994)

Jones, Kenneth, SgtMaj, (1980-2007)

Gulf War/Defense of Saudi Arabia/Operation Desert Shield
From Month/Year August / 1990	To Month/Year January / 1991
Description In 1990, fellow Arab Gulf states refused to endorse Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's plan to cut production and raise the price of oil, leaving him frustrated and paranoid. Iraq had incurred a mountain of debt during its war with Iran that had lasted for most of the previous decade, and the Iraqi President felt that his Arab brothers were conspiring against him by refusing to raise oil prices. Therefore, after weeks of massing troops along the Iraq-Kuwait border and accusing Kuwait of various crimes, Hussein sent seven divisions of the Iraqi Army into Kuwait in the early morning hours of 2 August 1990. The invasion force of 120,000 troops and 2,000 tanks quickly overwhelmed Iraq's neighbor to the south, allowing Hussein to declare, in less than a week, that Kuwait was his nation's nineteenth province. The United Nations responded quickly, passing a series of resolutions that condemned the invasion, called for an immediate withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait, imposed a financial and trade embargo on Iraq, and declared the annexation void. Regarding Iraq's actions as a threat to a vital interest of the US, namely the oil production capability of the Persian Gulf region, President George Bush ordered warplanes and ground forces to Saudi Arabia after obtaining King Fahd's approval. Iraqi troops had begun to mass along the Saudi border, breaching it at some points, and indicating the possibility that Hussein's forces would continue south into Saudi Arabia's oil fields. Operation DESERT SHIELD, the US military deployment to first defend Saudi Arabia grew rapidly to become the largest American deployment since the Southeast Asia Conflict. The Gulf region was within US Central Command's (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. Eventually, 30 nations joined the military coalition arrayed against Iraq, with a further 18 countries supplying economic, humanitarian, or other type of assistance. Carriers in the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea responded, US Air Force interceptors deployed from bases in the United States, and airlift transports carried US Army airborne troopers to Saudi Arabia. Navy prepositioning ships rushed equipment and supplies for an entire marine brigade from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to the gulf. During the next six months the United States and its allies built up a powerful force in the Arabian peninsula. The navy also began maritime intercept operations in support of a US-led blockade and United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Coalition forces, specifically XVIII Airborne Corps and VII Corps, used deception cells to create the impression that they were going to attack near the Kuwaiti boot heel, as opposed to the "left hook" strategy actually implemented. XVIII Airborne Corps set up "Forward Operating Base Weasel" near the boot heel, consisting of a phony network of camps manned by several dozen soldiers. Using portable radio equipment, cued by computers, phony radio messages were passed between fictitious headquarters. In addition, smoke generators and loudspeakers playing tape-recorded tank and truck noises were used, as were inflatable Humvees and helicopters. On 17 January 1991, when it became clear that Saddam would not withdraw, Desert Shield became Desert Storm.

My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year August / 1990	To Month/Year December / 1990

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020

Personal Memories

Units Participated in Operation
7th Marine Regiment
4th Marine Regiment
1st Bn, 1st Marine Regiment (1/1)
MASS-3, MACG-38
6th Engineer Support Bn
VMGR-234
USS Tripoli (LPH-10)
USS Ponce (LPD-15)
USS Trenton (LPD-14)
3rd Bn, 6th Marine Regiment (3/6)
5th Marine Regiment
10th Marine Regiment
2nd Bn, 4th Marine Regiment (2/4)
VMA-542
1st Combat Engineer Bn
HMM-262
3rd Bn, 9th Marine Regiment (3/9)
VMA-121
3rd Bn, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7)
2nd Bn, 7th Marine Regiment (2/7)
HMH-463
3rd Bn, 2nd Marine Regiment (3/2)
HMM-165
3rd Combat Engineer Bn
HMM-161
1st Bn, 2nd Marine Regiment (1/2)
MWCS-28
2nd Marine Division
VMAQ-2
1st Bn, 10th Marine Regiment (1/10)
L Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7)
L Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Marine Regiment (3/7)
1st Bn, 24th Marine Regiment (1/24)
2nd Engineer Bn
USS Tarawa (LHA-1)
VMO-2
3rd Bn, 10th Marine Regiment (3/10), 10th Marine Regiment
VMFA-232
2nd Bn, 3rd Marine Regiment (2/3)
HMM-361
MAG-29
1st Bn, 4th Marine Regiment (1/4)
VMGR-352
HMLA-167
USS Austin (LPD-4)
12th Marine Regiment
8th Comm Bn
9th Engineer Support Bn (ESB)
2nd Medical Bn
8th Engineer Support Bn (ESB)
2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment (2/5)
4th LAAM Bn
1st MLG (formerly 1st FSSG)
4th Tank Bn
1st Bn, 6th Marine Regiment (1/6)
3rd Amphibious Assault Bn. (AAV)
9th Comm Bn
2nd Assault Amphibian (Amtrac) Bn (2nd AAV Bn)

My Photos From This Battle or Operation

No Available Photos

3421 Also There at This Battle:

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Aarvig, David, Sgt, (1981-1991)

Abbaduska, Robert, Sgt, (1986-1992)

Abbatoy, William, SSgt, (1971-1991)

Abbott, Anthony, GySgt, (1975-1996)

Abel, Lonnie, Sgt, (1989-1994)

Abney, Steven, Sgt, (1978-1993)

Abramowitz, Michael, LCpl, (1988-1992)

Abreu, Carlos, Sgt, (1983-1995)

Acevedo, Jesus, Cpl, (1989-1993)

Achterberg, Gustav, SSgt, (1975-1995)

Acosta, Felix, 1stSgt, (1987-Present)

Acree, Clifford M., Col, (1973-2003)

Acree, Richard, Cpl, (1988-1995)

Adamo, Christine, Sgt, (1987-1993)

Adams, Bobby, SSgt, (1996-2008)

Adams, Brian, Cpl, (1989-1993)

Adams, Claude, Cpl, (1988-1992)

Adams, D. Chad, PFC, (1995-1999)

Adkins, Randy, Sgt, (1986-1992)

Adorno, Felix, GySgt, (1974-1994)

Aguirre, Ismael, Cpl, (1987-1991)

Agulia, Richard, MSgt, (1985-2010)

Agustin, Norman, MSgt

Aiello, Keith, Cpl, (1989-1997)

Ainscoe, Daniel, Sgt, (1984-1995)

Alameda, Samuel, 1stSgt, (1983-2005)

Albert, Eddie, Sgt, (1981-1994)

Albert, Matthew, Cpl, (1989-1995)

Albrecht, Richard, SSgt, (1980-1995)

Albro, Jason, Sgt, (1986-1994)

Alden, Bryant, Sgt, (1986-1994)

ALDRIDGE, DONOVAN, Cpl, (1988-1993)

Aleksa, Allen, MSgt, (1974-1999)

Alexander, Anthony, MSgt, (1984-2011)

Alexander, Dean, GySgt, (1980-2000)

Alger, Michael, Sgt, (1983-1991)

Alimia, Paul, Cpl, (1988-1994)

Alldredge, Ralph (Lane), GySgt, (1972-1993)

Allen, Bobby, Sgt, (1988-1998)

Allen, Donald, GySgt, (1971-1994)

Allen, Frank, LCpl

Allen, Gary, MGySgt, (1975-2000)

Allen, Harry, Sgt, (1984-1994)

Allen, Juan, MSgt, (1984-2008)

Allen, Mark, Sgt, (1987-1991)

Allen, Michael, Cpl, (1987-1991)

Allen, Roy, Cpl, (1986-1991)

Allen, Timothy, Cpl, (1989-1993)

Allen, Tommy, Sgt, (1987-1993)

Allen, Troy, MGySgt, (1988-Present)

Allen, Vernon, MGySgt, (1980-2010)

Alley II, Bobby, GySgt, (1989-2013)

Allison, Michael, Sgt, (1982-1991)

Allridge, Craig, MSgt, (1990-2010)

Aloise, Andrew, Capt, (1989-1998)

Alvarez, Rodolfo, Cpl, (1987-1991)

Amaral, Anthony, CWO3, (1979-2000)

Amidon, Ken, LtCol, (1981-2004)

Ammerman, Larry, Maj, (1975-1997)

Anderson, Brian, SSgt, (1983-2000)

ANDERSON, CURTIS, GySgt, (1983-2006)

Anderson, David, Sgt, (1987-1993)

Anderson, David, Sgt, (1984-1995)

Anderson, John, LCpl, (1990-1994)

Anderson, Robert, MSgt, (1984-2010)

Anderson, Sean, SgtMaj, (1989-2008)

Anderson, William, GySgt, (1981-2001)

Andrade, Juan, SSgt, (1981-2008)

Andrade, Robert, Cpl, (1989-1994)

Andreasen, Andrew, Cpl, (1988-1993)

Andrews, Aaron, Cpl, (1989-1993)

[Name Withheld], (1985-2008)

Annal, Peter, SSgt, (1972-1984)

Anthony, Antonio, SSgt, (1984-2004)

Applegate, Douglas, Col, (1974-2006)

Aragon, Hesiquio, GySgt, (1972-1993)

Aranda, Timothy, Sgt, (1988-1992)

Archer, Charles, MSgt, (1981-2004)

ARENAS, Manuel, GySgt, (1983-2006)

Armstead, Wali, SSgt, (1986-2006)

Armstrong, David, SSgt, (1989-2000)

Armstrong, Keith, SSgt, (1984-1991)

Arnold, Danny, MSgt, (1985-2008)

Arnold, Gary G., SgtMaj, (1978-2005)

Arnold, Jefrey Michael, LtCol, (1986-2007)

Arnold, Steve, Cpl, (1987-1991)

Arquines, Alvin, Sgt, (1983-1992)

Arroyo-Ortiz, Domingo, PFC, (1989-1993)

Arsenault, Michael, CWO2, (1988-2009)

Arthur, Mark, HMC, (1987-Present)

Ary, Morgan, 1stSgt, (1987-2011)

Ascencio, Arthur, Cpl, (1988-1992)

Aschinger, Donald, MSgt, (1988-2010)

Asesor, Flor, Sgt, (1987-1994)

Asher, Steven, Cpl, (1987-1991)

Askeland, Scott, MGySgt, (1987-2008)

Askew, Tina, GySgt, (1987-2007)

Atkins, Thomas, Sgt, (1987-1993)

Atkinson, Richard, Cpl, (1989-1993)

Atondo, Jorge, GySgt, (1975-1995)