LtCol Sean Peter Carroll, USMC
Biography
LtCol Carroll joined the Marine Corps in August 1994 through the NROTC Marine Option program. He attended Marquette University and the University College Galway, Ireland. Following Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA, LtCol Carroll was commissioned as a Marine Officer on 21 August 1998.
Upon completion of The Basic School and Infantry Officers Course, LtCol Carroll received orders to 3d Battalion, 3d Marines (3/3) in August 1999. During this initial Fleet Marine Force (FMF) tour, he served as Rifle Platoon and Weapons Platoon Commander/Fire Support Team Leader, and Executive Officer for Lima Company; Executive Officer for India Company; and Executive Officer and Commanding Officer for Headquarters and Service Company. He completed two Unit Deployment Programs (UDPs) and participated in numerous events in Japan, Australia, Korea, and the Philippines.
In January 2003, LtCol Carroll executed orders to Marine Corps Security Forces in Virginia. He served as the Academics Officer and Close Quarters Battle Officer in Charge and instructed the Recapture Tactics Teams and FAST Platoons on advanced marksmanship and urban combative tactics in preparation for overseas deployments, including Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During this period, LtCol Carroll completed the Amphibious Warfare School (non-resident course) and was selected to represent the Marine Corps at the U.S. Army’s Infantry Captains Career Course (ICCC) and Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA from February to August 2006. Upon graduation from ICCC, LtCol Carroll was recognized as an Honor Graduate by attaining the Commandant’s List.
In September 2006, LtCol Carroll reported to 2d Battalion, 5th Marines (2/5) and served as the Headquarters and Service Company Commander. In February 2007, he deployed to Ar-Ramadi, Iraq in support of OIF 06-08.1. In addition to his duties as Company Commander, LtCol Carroll was selected to lead the Battalion’s Iraqi Security Forces Cell. This responsibility included organizing, equipping, and coordinating Iraqi Army and Police units, and tribal militias to perform combat operations alongside coalition training teams and conventional forces.
Following Company Command, LtCol Carroll executed orders to Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific (EWTGPAC) in July 2008. At this Naval Command, LtCol Carroll served as an Operations Instructor and ARG/MEU Courses Manager for the Expeditionary Planning Branch. LtCol Carroll represented EWTGPAC in the development of new Marine Corps Orders to standardize MEU Pre-deployment Training Programs, participated in the planning of amphibious MEB-level training exercises, and attended service-level Amphibious Working Groups. During this assignment, LtCol Carroll volunteered to serve as an Individual Augment to lead an Embedded Training Team in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, but received short-notice orders to join the 15th MEU for the WESTPAC 10-1 deployment.
LtCol Carroll reported to the 15th MEU in February 2010 as the Assistant Operations Officer. He was responsible for the revision of the MEU’s Rapid Response Planning Process (R2P2) procedures, exercise planning in support of multiple Combatant Commands, preparations to support a National Mission Tasking, development of a Royal Jordanian OEF Task Force, and the progression of the Marine Corps’ new Maritime Raid Force (MRF). LtCol Carroll completed the Marine Corps Command and Staff College Distance Education Program during the WESTPAC deployment, and was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate for Academic Year 2011. He also served as an Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) Instructor for the MEU’s Company Grade Officers.
Shortly after his return from the WESTPAC deployment, LtCol Carroll executed orders in March 2011 back to his original battalion, 3/3, to serve as the Battalion Executive Officer. During the two years in this billet, LtCol Carroll deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 11.2. 3/3 completed the historic and highly successful deployment without the loss of a single servicemember. LtCol Carroll was requested to extend with 3/3 to assist in the battalion’s transition from eight consecutive years of combat deployments back to a focus on the USPACOM AOR and the Unit Deployment Program. LtCol Carroll participated in a second PTP with the battalion, including training at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, and was screened and selected for a Joint Duty Assignment.
Upon arrival to HQ USPACOM, LtCol Carroll was assigned to the J3, Operations Directorate, specifically to serve as a Ground/SOF Planner and core member of the J35 Deployable Joint Force Augmentation Cell. This unit serves as the Combatant Command’s rapid deployment capability for contingencies and crisis events. He was called to respond to numerous real-world events, multinational training opportunities, and major exercises over the 36-month tour. A notable highlight was his selection as the USPACOM J3 Officer of the Year for 2013.
In January 2016, LtCol Carroll reported to the 24th MEU to serve as the Operations Officer. During this assignment, LtCol Carroll led the MEU’s deployment planning, disaster relief in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew, integration with Special Operations Forces, and execution of the Pre-deployment Training Program. During the 2017 deployment, he planned and directed the force laydown and employment to enable distributed and disaggregated operations across three Combatant Commands, the execution of eight major exercises, and support to numerous named operations including support to Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and ODYSSEY RESOLVE. LtCol Carroll re-deployed from the MEU to assume command of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East on 14 July 2017.