2d Battalion, 8th Marines

Lieutenant Colonel William M. Willis

 Commanding Officer, 2d Battalion, 8th Marines

    LtCol Willis enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1994 after graduating high school in Lansing, Michigan. Upon completion of recruit, infantry, and security forces training he reported to Marine Barracks Washington (8th & I) and Marine Security Company, Camp David for duty. Following meritorious promotion to Corporal, he was assigned as Squad Leader and Corporal of the Guard. After successful completion of the reconnaissance indoc in 1997, he was assigned to 2d Reconnaissance Battalion, Camp Lejeune, NC completing numerous schools and deploying to Kosovo with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Following deployment, he was transferred to 2d Force Reconnaissance Company where he completed additional training, was meritoriously promoted to Staff Sergeant, and participated in deployments with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit to Kosovo and in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon return from Iraq, he then transferred to 2d Special Operations Training Group, II MEF for duty as the lead instructor and branch head for the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Course and Urban Sniper Course.

    LtCol Willis was selected for the MECEP program in 2005. Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, he was commissioned and attended The Basic School and Infantry Officers Course where he received the Leadership, Mustang, and Wheeler Award for Infantry Officer Excellence. He was assigned to 3d Battalion, 6th Marines deploying to Afghanistan for Operation MOSHTARAK, serving as Weapons Platoon Commander and Executive Officer for India Company, Assistant Operations Officer, and Headquarters and Service Company Commander throughout his assignment with the battalion. Subsequent assignments have included Platoon Commander, Force Reconnaissance Company I MEF at Camp Pendleton, California deploying in support of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Company 2IC and Officer Commanding Delta Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines in Taunton, United Kingdom deploying in support of OPERATION COUGAR, and Company Commander Force Reconnaissance Company II MEF at Camp Lejeune, NC.

    LtCol Willis also served at Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) in Plans, Policies, and Operations (PP&O) as the Reconnaissance Advocate and Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commandant PP&O. Upon returning to the Fleet Marine Forces with 2d Marine Division, he served as the Executive Officer 1st Battalion, 2d Marines deploying with the battalion on Unit Deployment Program 22.2 and with Commander Task Force 61/2 as the CTU 61.2.4 Forward Sensing Element OIC. Prior to being selected for command of America’s Battalion he served as the 2d Marines Executive Officer and Operations Officer.

   LtCol Willis is a graduate of multiple Marine Corps and specialized courses, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic, Persian, and Islamic Studies and a Masters of Arts in International Relations. He is married to the former Amber Massie and they have four children, Isabel, Ian, Emma-Kay, and Evan. LtCol Willis is privileged to have served in units which have received the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Unit Commendation, and Presidential Unit Citation for superior performance.

Sergeant Major Best 

2d Battalion, 8th Marines Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major Best was born and raised in Liberty, Texas.  His Marine Corps career started in August 2004 when he attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, CA.  He graduated Supply basic school as a Supply Administration and Operations Clerk (3043).
 
In March 2005, he proceeded to Marine Aircraft Group 12, Iwakuni, Japan to work in ground supply and fiscal.  He then received orders to 2nd Supply Battalion, Camp Lejeune, NC in September 2006.  Sergeant Major Best deployed to Iraq with 2nd Supply Battalion in July 2007 as the procurement chief.  Upon returning from deployment, Sergeant Major Best decided to open a small construction business in the civilian sector and was honorably discharged in 2008.
 
Sergeant Major Best decided to continue his military service and returned to the Marine Corps in 2009 and received orders to Inspector Instructor (I&I) duty in San Jose, CA.  While on I&I duty, Sergeant Major Best attended the Combat Marksmanship Instructor course and the Martial Arts Instructor courses.  Sergeant Major Best received orders in April 2012 to Combat Logistics Regiment 15, Headquarters Company.  Then in 2013, he attended the Martial Arts Instructor Trainer course.  Sergeant Major Best requested orders to Marine Security Guard (MSG) School with class 5-15.  His first assignment was in Kigali, Rwanda where the Marines of his detachment performed exceptionally well and were awarded the 2016 Regional Iron detachment award and was recognized as the 2017 Detachment of the year. Due to that success, Sergeant Major Best was selected to be an MSG Instructor/Advisor at the MSG schoolhouse in Quantico, VA.  After a 2-year SDA extension in July 2018, Sergeant Major Best proceeded to his second assignment as Detachment Commander in Bogota, Colombia. His detachment in Bogota won the 2020 detachment of the year honors for their sustained high performance during the pandemic. 
 
In August 2020, Sergeant Major Best reported to 3rd Intelligence Battalion, Okinawa, Japan as the Supply Chief.  Shortly after arrival to Okinawa, Sergeant Major Best received orders to III MEF Support Battalion where he served as both the Support Company and Headquarters Company First Sergeant.  Sergeant Major Best was the recipient of the 2021 Bob Feller Act of Valor award foundations Jerry Coleman award that recognizes the top SNCO in the Marine Corps in regards to leadership both on duty and in the civilian community.  In July 2023, Sergeant Major Best reported to I&I Greensboro, NC as the Unit senior enlisted leaders.  In September 2023, Sergeant Major Best earned his 4th degree red tab as a Martial Arts Instructor Trainer.  In August 2024, Sergeant Major Best was frocked and reported to his current assignment at 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, Camp Lejeune, NC.
Sergeant Major Best earned his Bachelor's degree in Management in 2013 and his Master's degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) in 2022 while making the dean's list with a 3.7 grade point average. He has had five professional articles published: "Lessons Learned" (July 2018), "Reflections on Leadership" (July 2019), "The Marine Security Guards and the Evacuation of U.S. Embassy Caracas" (July 2020), “Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander” (August 2022), and “Improving the Enlisted Assignments Process” (December 2023).    
Sergeant Major Best is proudly married to his spouse (Rei) and is father to a creative daughter (Dawson) and a curious son (Daniel). 
His personal awards include: (1) Meritorious Service Medal, (2) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, (1) State Department Superior Honor Award, (4) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, (4) State Department Meritorious Honor Awards, and (3) Outstanding Volunteer Service Medals.