MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Marines and sailors of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 bid farewell to Sgt. Maj. Wiliam P. Toves and welcomed aboard Sgt. Maj. Michael A. Miller during a relief and appointment ceremony at Lance Cpl. Torrey Gray Field, Jan. 21, 2011.
Miller joins the unit after being the battalion sergeant major for Combat Logistics Battalion 7 aboard the Combat Center.
During his 20-year Marine Corps career, he has served with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and deployed to Somalia with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit as a squad leader for Operations Quick Draw, Cease Fire and Red Reef. He then joined Joint Task Force 6 as a platoon commander on the US/Mexico border in Imperial County, El Centro, Calif. Miller was then given Permanent Change of Station orders to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego serving at Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, where he was Drill Instructor of the Quarter and Year for both 1st Bn. and Support Bn. He then transferred to the Advanced Infantry training companies, infantry squad leader course, as the primary instructor of tactics and battle skills at the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Miller won the Commandant’s Combined Award as the School of Infantry’s instructor of the year in Oct. 2001.
He then transferred to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment as the Weapons Platoon Sergeant and company gunnery sergeant. While with the unit he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also served as the advanced course instructor faculty advisor for the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. His final assignment before coming to the Combat Center was with 4th Landing Support Battalion (reinforced), in Lathrop, Calif., as inspector-instructor first sergeant.
Miller took time in his speech to personally say to his new commanding officer he couldn’t wait to do what he can to help achieve his goals and keep the high standards of the battalion.
His personal medals include Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” with three gold stars in lieu of fourth award, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a silver star in lieu of sixth award, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
The Battalion also took time to recognize the work Sgt. Maj. Wiliam P. Toves accomplished with the battalion.
On April 1st, 2008 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant major and was re-assigned to VMU-1, 29 Palms, Calif., and deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
The narrator also noted that it was Toves’ dedication to strengthening the Marines’ small unit leadership and using the Marine Corps Institute’s tests to push the standards of the battalion to what they are today.