Colonel Richard Stinnett, a native of Wake Forest, North Carolina, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a bachelor's degree in management information systems and commissioned a second lieutenant in December 2001.
Colonel Stinnett’s Fleet Marine Force assignments include both I Marine Expeditionary Force and II Marine Expeditionary Force units. He had assignments at the platoon- and battery-level at 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines; he served as Battery Commander and Operations Officer at 1st Battalion, 11th Marines; Operations Officer at 5th Battalion, 11th Marines; Assistant Operations Officer for Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) with 5th Marine Regiment; and Commanding Officer at 1st Battalion, 10th Marines.
HIs operational deployments include support for: Operation IRAQI FREEDOM with Regimental Combat Team 5; 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit; a Unit Deployment Program; Operation ENDURING FREEDOM with Battery I, 3/12, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines Operation; and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE with SPMAGTF-CR-CC.
Colonel Stinnett’s supporting establishment and joint assignments include Series Commander and Operations Officer, 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego; Guard Company Commander, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C.; Deputy Division Chief, Current Operations, J3, Joint Staff; and Readiness Branch Head, Operations Division, Plans, Policies, & Operations, Headquarters, Marine Corps.
In addition to The Basic School and Field Artillery Officers Basic Course, Colonel Stinnett is a graduate of the US Army Field Artillery Captains Career Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College. He has earned master’s degrees in both military studies and national security strategy.
His personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (w/Valor), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (third award), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (second award), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (w/Valor), and the Combat Action Ribbon (second award).