1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion

28 April 1985 to 9 October, 1988

1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion was activated on 28 April, 1985. The activation ceremony was held on the 31st of May that same year. It remained 1st LAV BN until it was redesignated 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion on 9 OCT, 1988. The battalion's initial home was 33 AREA Camp Margarita.

1ST LAV BN had 5 commanding officers:

LtCol Lyle D. Gearhart :: 28 April 1985 – 14 July 1985

LtCol Kenneth R. Falasco :: 15 July 1985 – 06 August 1985

LtCol Martin R. Steele :: 07 August 1985 – 05 June 1986

LtCol Kenneth W. Moore :: 06 June 1986 – 30 September 1987

LtCol Norris E. Williams :: 01 October 1987 – 01October 1988


1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion

9 Oct, 1988 to 12 Jun, 1992

1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion was redisignated 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion on 9 October, 1988 and remained so until 12 June, 1992. 1ST LAI BN deployed to Southeast Asia in Operation Desert Shield as part of Task Force Shepherd under LtCol Clifford O. Myers. The tip of the spear for the 1st Marine Division during the liberation of Kuwait. On 1 May 1992, 1ST LAI BN deployed to Los Angeles, California on a 4 hour notice and assisted the Long Beach Police Department as part of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Los Angeles (JTF-6 LA) in quelling civil disturbances and looting. 

1ST LAI BN had 3 commanding officers:

LtCol Norris E. Williams :: 01 October 1988 – 11 May 1989

LtCol Clifford O. Myers :: 12 May 1989 – 12 June 1991

LtCol Raymond Cole :: 13 June 1991 – 12 June 1992

1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Light Armored)

12 Jun, 1992 to 1 Mar, 1994

1st Light Armored infantry Battalion was redesignated to 1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Light Armored) on 12 June, 1992 when it was merged, along with much protest from the reconnaissance community, with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. This relationship lasted almost two full years. 1ST RLA deployed in support of Operation Restore Hope to Somalia on 9 December, 1992 as part of the 15th MEU. The LAV landing was greeted by reporters and broadcasters and was aired live on CNN. Nobody has yet to come forward and claim ownership of getting their pig stuck on the beach.

1ST RLA BN had 2 commanding officers:

LtCol Raymond Cole :: 12 June 1992 – 07 July 1992

LtCol John F. Kelly :: 07 July 1992 – 01 March 1994

*** LtCol John F. Kelly, a native of Massachusetts, retired as a 4 Star General and was Commanding General of USSOUTHCOM during the Obama Administration. He is currently President Donald J. Trump's White House Chief of Staff.

 

1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion

1 Mar, 1994 to PRESENT

1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Light Armored) was redesignated to 1st Light Armored Reconaissance Battalion on 1 March, 1994. In December of 2001, Bravo Company deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 15th MEU (Spec Ops Capable) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In January of 2003, 1ST LAR BN deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Regimental Combat Team -5 and was the 1st to cross the border on 20 March, 2003. Later, as part of Task Force Tripoli, 1ST LAR BN helped in securing Tikrit. In February of 2004, 1st LAR BN re-deployed to Iraq in support Operation Iraqi Freedom II and was part of Regimental Combat Team -7.

 1ST LAR BN has had 14 battalion commanders:

LtCol John F. Kelly :: 01 March 1994 – 27 May 1994
LtCol David W. Mauldin :: 27 May 1994 – 24 May 1996
LtCol Thomas B. Sward :: 24 May 1996 – 13 January 1998
LtCol Jeffery A. Powers :: 13 January 1998 – 20 January 2000
LtCol Stephen J. Linder :: 20 January 2000 – 04 July 2001
LtCol Duffy W. White :: 04 July 2001 – 12 June 2003
LtCol William R. Costantini :: 12 June 2003 – 29 April 2005
LtCol Robert R. Kosid :: 29 April 2005 – 12 October 2006
LtCol Kelly P. Alexander :: 12 October 2006 – 70 March 2008
LtCol Scott D. Leonard :: 07 March 2008 – 03 February 2011
LtCol George C. Schreffler III :: 04 February 2011 – 20 July 2012
LtCol Gilbert D. Juarez :: 20 July 2012 – 18 June 2014
LtCol Christian M. Rankin :: 19 June 2014 – 25 May 2016
LtCol Michael R. Nakonieczny :: 26 May 2016 – 24 June 2018
LtCol Dominique B. Neal :: 21 June 2018 - Present