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 Battles

2d Battalion, 8th Marines Sergeant Major

Anthony Battles enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 18 January 2006. He attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, and subsequently completed the School of Infantry (West) at Camp Pendleton, where he earned the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 0311, Infantryman. Following his initial training, Private First Class Battles was assigned to the Reconnaissance Indoctrination Platoon, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, California. After successfully completing the assessment and selection process, he attended the Basic Reconnaissance Course in Coronado, California, earning the MOS 0321, Reconnaissance Man. Upon completion, Lance Corporal Battles was assigned as a Reconnaissance Scout with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. 

In January 2008, Corporal Battles was assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, serving as a Reconnaissance Scout and radio operator. During this tour, he completed numerous specialized courses including the Army Basic Airborne Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Training, Evinrude Multi-Fuel Engine Operator Course, San Diego Sheriff's Department Man-Tracking Course, Marine Special Operations Training Group Dynamic Assault Course, and the Urban Reconnaissance and Surveillance Course. He subsequently deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the CENTCOM area of operations. 

In February 2009, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion as Team Leader for 3rd Platoon, Team 3. During this time, he completed additional advanced training including the Basic Combat Trauma Course, Foreign Weapons Instructor Course, Basic Machine Gun Trainer Course, Tactical Air Control Party Course, Marine Combatant Diver Course, Methods of Entry Course, and Military Freefall School. He deployed twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, serving as a Team Leader and Company Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC).

In March 2013, Sergeant Battles was selected to attend the Marine Combat Instructor Course at Camp Pendleton, California. Upon graduation, he was assigned MOS 0913, Combat Instructor, and began teaching at the Basic Reconnaissance Course. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in May 2013 and appointed Chief Instructor of the course, later earning his Master Instructor Certification. 

In July 2016, Staff Sergeant Battles reported to 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, serving as Team Leader and Platoon Sergeant for Charlie Company. He was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in July 2018 and deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, supporting operations in the 5th and 6th Fleet Areas of Responsibility. Upon completion of that deployment in June 2020, Gunnery Sergeant Battles received orders to the Marine Combatant Diver Course in Panama City, Florida, where he served as both Dive Instructor and Chief Instructor.

In May 2022, he was frocked to the rank of First Sergeant and assigned to 2d Marine Logistics Group, 2d Landing Support Battalion, North Carolina. He served as Company First Sergeant for Beach and Terminal Operations (BTO) Company from June 2022 to February 2023, deploying in support of exercises such as Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course and Exercise Freezing Winds. In May 2025 First Sergeant Battles was frocked to the rank of Sergeant Major currently serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor of 2d Battalion 8th Marines.

His personal decorations include the Purple Heart, Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star in lieu of forth award, Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold stars in lieu of second award and the Combat Action Ribbon.