Commanding Officer
Col Robert J. Guice

Colonel Robert J Guice was born in Queens, New York.  He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in May 1996 and accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

Second Lieutenant Guice graduated the Basic Officer Course in May 1997 and subsequently reported to the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twenty-nine Palms, CA to attend the Air Support Control Officer Course. Following graduation in September 1997, he transferred to Okinawa, Japan to serve with Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) 2.  He promoted to First Lieutenant in May 1998, and was then assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as a member of the Marine Air Control Group (MACG) 18 Detachment.  During this time the 31st MEU supported multiple bi-lateral theater security cooperation exercises and deployed to Sixth Fleet and Central Command from November 1998 through March 1999 in support of Operation DESERT FOX.  

In January 2000, First Lieutenant Guice reported to the United States Army Air Defense School at Fort Bliss, TX.  Following his designation as a Surface to Air Weapons Officer, he assumed the duties of Operations Officer for the 4th Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion in February 2000.  He was promoted to the rank of Captain in July 2001.

In 2002, Captain Guice was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. After earning a Master of Science degree in Information Technology Management in 2004, he was assigned to Manpower and Reserve Affairs as the Head of Application Development and Support.  He was promoted to the rank of Major in September 2006.

Major Guice was selected to attend the USMC Command and Staff College for the 2007-2008 Academic Year.  After earning a Master in Arts degree in Military Studies, he transferred to Marine Corps Air Station-Miramar to assume duties as the Executive Officer of Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron (MTACS) 38.  His tour with MTACS-38 included a deployment to Al Asad Air Base in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 8.2 and to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 10.1.   

Major Guice assumed the billet of Marine Aviation Command and Control Squadron – Experimental (MACCS-X) Officer in Charge in May 2011.  During this period, he participated in the operational and development testing of the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), the Theater Battle Management Core System (TBMCS), and Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S).  He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in June 2013.  

Returning to Okinawa in August 2013, he served as the III MEF G-3 Aviation Command and Control Planner then assumed command of MTACS-18 from June 2014 until June 2016. From July 2016 to May 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Guice attended the U.S. Air Force War College in Montgomery, AL.

Lieutenant Colonel Guice reported to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency – Europe in July 2017 to serve as the Conventional Arms Control Division Chief and Site Chief.  He was promoted to Colonel in January 2019.  Colonel Guice returned to Okinawa in June 2020 and is currently serving as the Chief of Staff of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Colonel Guice's personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (one gold star), Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two gold stars), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two gold stars), and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.   He is married to the former Suska Baldelomar of Cochabamba, Bolivia