Blair J. Sokol

Civilian Education

B.S. United States Naval Academy

Military Education

M.S. National Security Strategy, National War College
M.M.A.S. General Studies, USA Command and Staff College
Masters in Operations, USA School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS)
Amphibious Warfare School
Infantry Officers Course
The Basic School

 

Major Assignments

1995 Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines
(deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa, Japan)

1997 Tactics Officer, Company Commander, Battalion Operations Officer at the School of Infantry (West)

2000 Student, Amphibious Warfare School

Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines in Camp Pendleton, California
(deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as a mechanized company commander and participated in The Opening Gambit in the Southern Ramaila Oilfields and the Battle for Baghdad)

Reassigned as Mobile Assault Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines
(redeployed to Iraq for OIF II; after first Battle of Fallujah, assumed the duty of Battalion Operations Officer)

2004 “Coyote” live-fire controller, Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group in 29 Palms, California

2006 Officer in Charge, Mojave Viper program
(trained all infantry battalions deploying to OIF and Operation Enduring Freedom)

Student, USA Command and General Staff College, followed by USA School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS)

2009 Lead Northeast Asia Planner in the G-5, III MEF, Okinawa, Japan
(principal author of the MEF’s war plans for both the defense of South Korea and the response to a North Korean regime collapse)

2010 Commander of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
(deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 11.1 in Southern Afghanistan)

2013 Student, National War College (distinguished graduate)

2013 Strategic Assessment Branch Chief in J-5, Joint Staff
(partook in the Joint Staff’s Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) efforts and the development of the National Military Strategy
later served as a special assistant to both the 18th and 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs’ of Staff in the Chairman’s Action Group as the lead of its strategy team)

Deputy Director of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Training Program (MSTP)

2017 Deputy Commander of Task Force Southwest in Afghanistan, 2d Marine Regiment
(during Operation Resolute Support 19.1)
 

Awards and Decorations

Bronze Star for Valor
Two Bronze Stars (Meritorious)
Meritorious Service Medal (Third Award)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Joint Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon