Steven R. Rudder

Rudder was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps as a second lieutenant in 1984. He graduated from The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico and his first assignment was to 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion. He received a transfer to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1987. His operational assignments include AH-1 Cobra helicopter training with HMT-303 followed by service with HMLA-367 as Maintenance Officer and Tactics Instructor.[1]

His staff and command assignments include HMM-161; Weapons and Tactics Officer deploying with the 11th MEU(SOC); AH-1 Division Head, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One; Operations Officer, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167; Future Operations Officer HMM-261 deploying with the 22nd MEU; Military Assistant to Andrew Marshall, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon; Squadron Commander, HML/A-167; Senior Watch Officer, 3rd Marine Air Wing; J5 Lead planner for Afghanistan and Pakistan, USCENTCOM, Tampa, FL; Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 26 deploying to Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Branch Head of Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation; student, United States Army War College; Legislative Assistant to the Commandant, Office of Legislative Affairs, HQMC; Commanding General, 1st Marine Air Wing in Okinawa, Japan; Director of Strategic Planning and Policy, United States Pacific Command; Deputy Commandant for Aviation from July 2017 to July 2020; and Commanding General, United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific.[2]