Master Gunnery Sergeant Darry A Cross assumed duties as the Senior Enlisted Leader of Marine Corps Detachment, Goodfellow AFB in May 2022. He was born April 1, 1985 is Somerset Kentucky and attended school at Wayne County, in Monticello KY, graduating high school in 2003. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2003 graduating recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in August of 2003, followed by Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger North Carolina.

MGySgt Cross attended Primary Military Occupational Specialty school at Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL. He graduated as a 2631, Electronic Signals Intelligence (ELINT) Operator.  MGySgt Cross then transitioned to his first duty station in the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) with assignment to 2nd Radio Battalion (Rad Bn), Camp Lejeune NC. 

Throughout his career MGySgt Cross has served in a variety of billets across the FMF and supporting establishment. He served as SIGINT Support Team member and assistant team leader at 2nd Radio Bn, Camp Lejeune NC, deploying twice with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary unit to CENTCOM including operations in Al Anbar Province Iraq (OIF). Served as branch chief for TECSHIG OPELINT Branch and platoon commander at Company H, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion at NSA/CSS Texas. At VMAQ-3 in Cherry Point, NC he served as Staff Non Commishioned Officer In Charge of the SIGINT Technical Analysis Center (STAC) supporting Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) operations of the EA6-B Prowler, including a deployment to Afghanistan (OEF).

MGySgt Cross was then selected in 2012 to attend the National Security Agency Cryptologic Internship program for Military Operational Electronic Signals Analysis Program (MOSAP) at NSA Colorado. During this assignment he completed the academic requirements in addition to serving as Deputy SIGINT Mission Director for the NSA Colorado, national level, operations floor. He was then selected to serve as NSA liaison to the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center.  His next tour was to 3rd Rad Bn in Kaneohe Bay HI where he served as ELINT Chief, Current Operations Chief, and SNCOIC for the Rad Bn detachment to the 31st MEU, deploying to the Pacific AOR. 

In 2018, MGySgt Cross was selected to be the 2600 Occupational Field Specialist managing structure, training, and  manpower for more than 2700 Marines. During this tour he represented the community in several Force Design working groups that will affect the Marine Corps at large for the next 10 years. Following that assignment, he served as the SIGINT section lead for Intel Division, Deputy Commandant for Information, Headquarters Marine Corps where he worked to align appropriate SIGINT authorities and access to enable operations by newly created entities coming from USMC Force Design 2030 initiatives. 

MGySgt Cross’ personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, Navy Achievment Medal, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.