Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

Sergeant Major Ybarra was born on 26 December 1975 in Corvallis, Oregon. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 1995 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Upon completion in September 1995, Sergeant Major Ybarra attended the School Of Infantry at Camp Pendleton and obtained the MOS of 0331 (machine Gunner).

Following MOS school, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division in December 1995 as a Machine Gunner. Sergeant Major Ybarra held the billets of A-Gunner, Gunner, and Section Leader and promoted to Corporal in December 1997.

In March 1998, Sergeant Major Ybarra was then transferred to Weapons training Battalion in Quantico, VA where he was a Range Coach, Tower NCO, Block NCO, Line SNCO, Primary Marksmanship Instructor, and Chief Primary Marksmanship Instructor.

In April 2001, Sergeant Major Ybarra was transferred to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego where he served as a Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, and Chief Drill Instructor assigned to Company H Second Recruit Training Battalion and Special Training Company Support Battalion. He was selected as the Drill Instructor of the Quarter and earned the Dan Daly Award. In the summer of 2003, he completed the Martial Arts Instructor Course as a Black Belt Instructor.

Ordered to Camp Lejeune in July 2004, Sergeant Major Ybarra reported to 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division as an Infantry Unit Leader. Deploying in September 2004, he served as the Infantry Unit Leader for Company G in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Major Ybarra deployed again in June 2006 to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Upon his return from Iraq the second time in February of 2007, Sergeant Major Ybarra reported to II Marine Expeditionary Force, Special Operations Training Group (SOTG) Stone Bay, NC where he served in the Landing Attack & Subsequent Operations Team for eighteen months. Sergeant Major Ybarra served as the SOTG Operations Chief in the following eighteen months. He then returned to 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division in July 2010 as an Infantry Unit Leader where he deployed to Afghanistan in January 2011 in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Upon return from Afghanistan, he reported to Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey in August of 2011 where he served as the I& First Sergeant until June 2014 when he received orders to the United States Army Sergeants’ Major Academy in El Paso, TX. Once graduated, he reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, CA where he served as First Sergeant Company H Second Recruit Training Battalion until his selection to his current post in May 2016.

Sergeant Major Ybarra’s awards include the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation with three gold stars in lieu of 4th award with Combat Distinguishing Device, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars in lieu of 4th award and Combat Distinguishing Device, Marine Corps Good Conduct medals with one silver star in lieu of 6th award, Combat Action Ribbon with gold star, and the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service medal.