Sergeant Major
SgtMaj Joseph A. Alvarez
Joseph Alvarez was born on February 14. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and attended Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California in May 1999. Upon graduating as the company honor man from Recruit Training, he was meritoriously promoted to Lance Corporal. After graduating, he attended the School of Infantry and was assigned the MOS of (0311) Infantry Rifleman.
In August of 1999, Lance Corporal Alvarez reported to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4) at Camp Pendleton, CA for duty as an Infantryman. Upon discovery by the Battalion's Sniper Platoon, Lance Corporal Alvarez was screened and selected to join the highly skilled platoon, where he acquired the MOS of 8541, later changed to 0317. During his time with 2/4, he deployed twice with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit-Special Operations Capable (MEU-SOC) out of Okinawa, Japan where he also took part in Operation Cobra Gold 1999. While at 2/4, he was promoted to Corporal and later to the rank of Sergeant. While stationed at 2/4, he held the billet of Scout Sniper and Team Leader.
In November of 2004, Sergeant Alvarez was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1), where he served as a Battalion Scout Sniper. While assigned to 2/1, Sergeant Alvarez deployed to Iraq two separate times to Fallujah, Hit, and the Syrian border along Al-Anbar Province, taking part in Operation Bright Star and Operation Steele Curtain in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After a Successful tour of duty with 2/1, Sergeant Alvarez then volunteered for Drill Instructor Duty in January 2008. While at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego, California, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and later meritoriously to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. While at the Depot, Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez served as a Senior Drill Instructor and Chief Instructor for the water survival section as a Marine Combat Instructor Trainer of Water Survival. He, along with four other subject matter experts, revamped the Marine Corps' water survival program still in use today.
After a successful tour at MCRD San Diego, Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez checked into 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines (1/2), Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. While assigned to 1/2, he served as an Infantry Platoon Commander with Company B and deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit to Southwest Asia, where he executed exercise African Lion alongside multinational forces. Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez then returned and shortly thereafter volunteered to execute Temporary Additional Duty to Security Forces Afghanistan Advisor Team 2-15 Corps advisor team, where he served as the Operations Chief.
On 1 August 2014, First Sergeant Alvarez was assigned as the Inspector and Instructor First Sergeant in Vienna, Ohio Detachment 3, Maintenance Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 453. There, he transformed a Landing Support Battalion into a Motor Transportation Detachment, through the guidance set forth by the Marine Forces Reserve Force Structure Review Group.
In August 2017, First Sergeant Alvarez executed orders to Marine Corps Recruit Depot ,San Diego where he would serve as the Company M First Sergeant. Under his supervision, Company M provided critical after actions to the Recruit Training Regiment in support of a Marine Corps wide transition to a four phase training matrix and a more refined Period of Instruction.
As of 27 July 2020, Sergeant Major Alvarez has been assigned as the Marine Air Control Squadron Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Major Alvarez's personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with "V" distinguishing device and gold star, Army Achievement Medal, and various other service and campaign medals.