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Lieutenant Colonel Peter G. McCarthy (Ret.) was born June 24, 1958 in Boston. He graduated from
College of the Holy Cross in 1980 with a B.A. Degree in Economics. Commissioned a second lieutenant in September 1980, he
attended The Basic School at Quantico, Va., graduating in April 1981. Following graduation from the Infantry Officer Course
in June 1981, Lt. Col. McCarthy reported to Camp Pendleton, California, where he served consecutively as a Rifle Platoon Commander
, Weapons Platoon Commander, Assistant Battalion Operations Officer, and Company Commander with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
During this tour, he was promoted to first lieutenant in 1982 and attended Aerial Observer School at MCAS New River, graduating
in March 1983. In November 1984, Lt. Col. McCarthy reported to Recruiting Station New York for duty as the Officer Selection
Officer until July 1988. During this assignment, he was promoted to captain in September 1985.Following recruiting duty, he
was a student at Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Va. After graduating in May 1989, Lt. Col. McCarthy remained at Quantico,
serving as a Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer with Officer Candidate School until September 1989. In October
1989, he received orders to Kaneohe Bay Hawaii, for duty with the 3rd Marine regiment. In August 1990, Lt. Col. McCarthy deployed
to Southeast Asia. During Operation Desert Shied and Desert Storm, he served as the Commanding Officer, Company A, 3rd Reconnaissance
Battalion. He returned to the United States in April 1991, where he was later assigned duty as the Battalion Operations Officer,
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. In August 1992, Lt. Col. McCarthy was ordered to duty as the Readiness and Training Officer,
3rd Naval Construction Brigade, Pearl Harbor. He was promoted to Major in October 1992.Lt. Col. McCarthy deployed to Somalia
as part of Operation Restore Hope in January 1993 and returned to the U.S. in April of that year, continuing his duties as
the Readiness and Training Officer of the 3rd Naval Construction Brigade. In July 1994, he assumed command of Recruiting Station
New Jersey. Following this tour, he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College from which he graduated with distinction
in 1998, and was subsequently assigned to Marine Forces Pacific Headquarters at Camp Smith, Hawaii. While there, he served
as the Headquarters and Service Battalion Executive Officer at MARFORPAC until reassigned to his current position as Deputy
for Support Operations at 1st Marine Corps District Headquarters. Lieutenant Colonel McCarthy's medals and decorations
include: The Meritorious Service Medal with two stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal with
gold star in lieu of second award, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Master Sergeant S. Douglas Strebel, USMC (Ret.) Master Sergeant “Top” Strebel retired from the Marine Corps in 2000 following
25 years of service. Although a career infantryman, Top Strebel served in a variety of billets to include:
Instructor, Force Reconnaissance Marine, Competitive Marksman, Recruiter, and Military Advisor to the Royal Saudi Marine Forces.
Although serving around the globe on multiple deployments (to include Lebanon and the Persian Gulf), Top Strebel’s
career was highlighted by the eight years in which he served as a formal school “platform” instructor: Six years
training recruits at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, SC and two years training squad leaders at the School
of Infantry on Camp Pendleton, CA. For nine seasons throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Top Strebel was selected
to represent the Marine Corps at state, regional, interservice, and national competitions as a member of the elite Marine
Corps Shooting Team(s) from Quantico, VA where he shot on four national championship teams and earned the Distinguished Rifleman
and Distinguished Pistol Shot badge(s). Using the G.I. Bill following his retirement from the Marine Corps,
Top Strebel earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts Degree
in International Relations from Webster University in St. Louis, MO. Since 1989, Top has presented more
than 600 motivational lectures to high school and collegiate athletes, military personnel, and members of local community
organizations on “The Power of Positive Thinking.” For more than four years, Top volunteered
his time to coach JROTC cadets in the sport of air rifle marksmanship at high schools in North Carolina and Pennsylvania before
joining the Commandant’s Department (in 2005) at the Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA, where he was employed
as a Tactical Officer. In September 2007, Top joined the NJROTC Department at the Marine Academy of Science
and Technology on Sandy Hook, NJ, working as a Naval Science Instructor for two years before joining the Riverhead H.S. NJROTC
Department in July 2009.
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