Marine Corps Installations West

Sergeant Major Meza enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 1986 and reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina in September 1987.  Upon graduation from Recruit Training, he reported to the Motor Vehicle Operator School where he received the Military Occupational Specialty of 3531.  Sergeant Major Meza later reported to 2d Force Service Support Group (FSSG) for duty as a Motor Vehicle Operator.  From February 1988 to August 1988, he served as a Motor Vehicle Operator with Truck Company, 8th Motor Transport Battalion, 2d FSSG, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  From September 1988 to September 1990, he served with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), MEU Service Support Group 22, Truck Company.  While assigned to the 22nd MEU, he participated in Operation SHARP EDGE, Liberia, Africa.

Upon completion of his second deployment, Sergeant Major Meza attended the 2d FSSG Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) School.  Upon graduating NCO School in October 1990, he was reassigned to 8th Motor Transport Battalion for deployment to Saudi-Arabia with the Direct Support Group 2.  From November 1990 to July 1991, Sergeant Major Meza participated in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM.  Upon completion of that deployment, he was reassigned to 8th Motor Transport Battalion as the Alpha Company Embarkation NCO/Section Leader, Bulk Liquid Platoon.  During this period, Sergeant Major Meza was selected as the 2d FSSG NCO of the Quarter, 2d Quarter, Fiscal Year (FY) 1992.  In August 1992, Sergeant Major Meza participated in the humanitarian relief mission in support of Hurricane Andrew, Homestead, Florida.

In December 1992, he was promoted to Sergeant and served as a Platoon Sergeant for Alpha Company, 8th Motor Transport Battalion.  In April 1993, Sergeant Major Meza deployed aboard the MPF Ship MV Bobo as the Motor Transport Chief to conduct Operation OCEAN VENTURE 93.  Upon return to Camp Lejeune, Sergeant Major Meza resumed his duties as a Platoon Sergeant and separated from the Marine Corps in September 1993.

After being honorably discharged, he was employed with Kraft General Foods Corporation, Friehoffer’s Division, as a Route Sales Supervisor from October 1993 until July 1995.  He then re-entered the Marine Corps under the Prior Service Enlistment Program in August 1995.  After reenlisting, he was appointed a Lance Corporal and assigned as a Motor Vehicle Operator for 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.  While assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, he was meritoriously promoted to Corporal in December 1995 and meritoriously promoted to Sergeant in November 1996.  Sergeant Major Meza requested orders to Drill Instructor (DI) School at Parris Island where he attended DI School, Class 4-97 in July 1997.  Upon graduation, Sergeant Major Meza was assigned to Lima Company, 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.  While assigned to the Drill Field, he was meritoriously promoted to Staff Sergeant in January 1999.  He was also selected as 3d Recruit Training Battalion’s Drill Instructor of the Year, Calendar Year 2000.  Later, he attended the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy Career Course, Class 2-00, where he was a Distinguished Graduate.  Sergeant Major Meza held the billets of Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, and Series Gunnery Sergeant over the course of 8 training cycles while serving on the Drill Field.

Upon successful completion of Drill Instructor Duty in November 2000, Sergeant Major Meza was assigned to Motor Transport Company, 3d Transportation Support Battalion (TSB), 3d FSSG, Okinawa, Japan in December of 2000.  While assigned to Motor Transport Company, Sergeant Major Meza held the billets of Platoon Truck Master, Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Commander, and Company Gunnery Sergeant.

In February 2002, Sergeant Major Meza was assigned to the Brigade Service Support Group 3 as the Brigade Movement Chief in support of Operation Cobra Gold 02.  Upon completion of deployment, he was assigned as the Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of the 3d TSB’s Corporals Course and was reassigned to Motor Transport Company as a Platoon Sergeant in September 2002.  He was meritoriously promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in December 2002 when he was assigned to the Motor Transport Company as the Company Gunnery Sergeant.

Sergeant Major Meza was selected for Assistant Marine Officer Instructor Duty at the Purdue University’s Naval Reserve Officer’s Training Corps Program from May 2003 to May 2006.  During his tenure, he completed 2 summers at Officer Candidates School, Quantico, Virginia as a Sergeant Instructor and Platoon Sergeant.  He was selected to First Sergeant in December 2005 and reassigned to 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion for duty in June 2006.  He served as Bravo Company First Sergeant from June 2006 to July 2007 and Charlie Company First Sergeant where he completed deployments to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2009.  He was later selected to Sergeant Major on the FY10 promotion board.

Upon selection to Sergeant Major, he was frocked in April 2010 and assigned as the Combat Logistics Battalion 27 Sergeant Major where he embarked aboard the USS Ponce (LPD-15) as Sergeant Major of Embarked Troops.  Sergeant Major Meza participated in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, ODDESSY DAWN, and UNIFIED PROTECTOR.  Sergeant Major Meza returned to CONUS in May 2011 and was assigned as the Marine Corps Recruiting Station Nashville Sergeant Major from June 2011 to September 2013.  The Station was awarded Superior Achiever by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Sergeant Major Meza was selected as the Headquarters Marine Corps, MMEA Branch SgtMaj/8999 Monitor by the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps and served as the Sergeant Major and First Sergeant monitor from October 2013 until April 2016.  Sergeant Major Meza assumed his Post as the Marine Corps Installations West-Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton Sergeant Major on 6 May 2016.
      
Sergeant Major Meza’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Gold Stars in lieu of fourth award, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 2 Gold Stars in lieu of third award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star in lieu of second award, Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star in lieu of second award, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation second award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal eighth award, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal second award, Southwest Asia Service Medal third award, Humanitarian Service Medal with Bronze Star in lieu of second award, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon eighth award, Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon, Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi-Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign medal, NATO ISAF Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.