Former resident named lieutenant colonel

Craig Reese attended elementary, middle and part of high school in Thermopolis. His parents Dale and Kay were also teachers in the community, with Dale teaching at the high school and Kay teaching throughout the district.

Lieutenant Colonel Reese graduated from the University of Wyoming and was commissioned through the Officer Candidates Course, completing Officer Candidate School, the Basic Officer Course and Infantry Course from January to December 2002.

In January 2003, Second Lieutenant Reese reported to 3d Battalion 2d Marines. During this time, he deployed aboard the USS Kearsarge and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Task Force Tarawa an Nasiriya, Operation Shining Express, Liberia, and Operation Enduring Freedom, Task Force Kabul as a rifle platoon and weapons platoon commander, and was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant. In 2004, he again deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as detachment Executive Officer and then to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon return, he received orders to 2d Reconnaissance Battalion in 2005.

As a reconnaissance platoon commander, First Lieutenant Reese deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a raid force and was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2006 at Camp Fallujah, Iraq. Upon his return, he was assigned as a Commanding Officer, Charlie Company where he again deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007-2008. Upon return from deployment, Captain Reese was reassigned as the Headquarters and Service Company Commanding Officer.

Following his reconnaissance tour, Captain Reese reported to the Maneuver Captains Career Course, Fort Benning, Ga., graduating on the Commandant's List in 2009. He then received orders to 3d Battalion 4th Marines as the Commanding Officer, Headquarters and Service Company where he deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom 2009-2010 with the additional duty of Task Force 3/4 Afghan National Security Forces liaison officer. In June 2010. Captain Reese was reassigned as Commanding Officer, Kilo Company where he deployed to the Upper Gereshk Valley, Afghanistan in the summer of 2011.

Upon redeployment in 2012, Captain Reese received orders to the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Ga. Here, he served as a Maneuver Captain Career Course, Reserve Component Course and International Military Student Preparatory Course Small Group instructor as well as an Instructor Certifier. In 2013, he was promoted to Major.

Major Reese reported to 1st Battallion, 6th Marines and served as the Battalion Landing Team Operations Officer as part of the 22d MEU for the next 26 months. During the 2016 deployment, he planned and executed simultaneous theatre security and contingency response operations in support of United States Central Command and United States European Command. Additionally, he participated in combat operations in United state Africa Command in direct support of Operation Odyssey Lightning as the New Normal Crisis Response QRF for Sirte, Libya. Prior to his departure, he planned and coordinated the pre-deployment and long-range training plan in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa Command Crisis Response, Marine Rotational Forces Europe and the Black Sea Rotational Force.

Following his ninth deployment in 2017, Major Reese executed orders to the School of Infantry-East as the Marine Combat Training Battalion Executive Officer for the next nine months. Here, he completed Command and Staff Distance Education Program, supervised the planning and initial execution of the 29-day Enhanced-POI and was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.

In 2018, Major Reese executed orders to the Joint Staff Pentagon, Washington, D.C. where he currently serves as an Action Officer in the J33 Mission Assurance Protection Division, AT/FP Branch.

Lieutenant Colonel Reese was promoted to his current rank in October of 2018. His personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Devices and three Gold Stars (fourth award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, U.S. Army Achievement Medal and Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star (second award). Other awards include the 2007 2d Marine Division Navy and Marin Association Leadership Award, Order of Saint Maurice (Infantry), Order of Saint George Bronze Medallion (Armor) and the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency in Gold.

Lieutenant Colonel Reese is qualified as an Operations and Tactics Instructor, Expeditionary Ground Reconnaissance Officer, Expert Parachutist/Combatant Diver Officer, and has completed over 40 other PME and MOS training schools and courses. Reese and his wife, Dawn, have been married 17 years and they have two children - Jylian, age 14, and Weston, age 12.