thedrifter
05-23-06, 09:23 AM
Coleman stepping down as Pendleton commander
By: North County Times -
CAMP PENDLETON ---- Eight months after assuming command at Camp Pendleton, Col. John C. Coleman will retire Wednesday and hand over control of the base to a new commander.
Coleman is retiring following more than 30 years of active-duty service in the Marine Corps, including two stints as chief of staff for the Pendleton-based I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Taking over as the base commander is C. James B. Seaton III, who since June 2004 has been the operations and training officer at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms.
Seaton is a native of Faribault, Minn. He has a master's degree in political science from Duke University and has taught the discipline at the U.S. Naval Academy.
He spent four years on the National Security Council staff at the White House, including working as director of defense policy.
Seaton was named I Marine Division inspector at Camp Pendleton in 2001 and later assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment in June 2002 and lead the unit in the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Overseeing Seaton is Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert. While Seaton will be responsible for all Pendleton operations, Lehnert oversees all West Coast Marine installations as the result of a 2005 service restructuring.
By: North County Times -
CAMP PENDLETON ---- Eight months after assuming command at Camp Pendleton, Col. John C. Coleman will retire Wednesday and hand over control of the base to a new commander.
Coleman is retiring following more than 30 years of active-duty service in the Marine Corps, including two stints as chief of staff for the Pendleton-based I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Taking over as the base commander is C. James B. Seaton III, who since June 2004 has been the operations and training officer at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms.
Seaton is a native of Faribault, Minn. He has a master's degree in political science from Duke University and has taught the discipline at the U.S. Naval Academy.
He spent four years on the National Security Council staff at the White House, including working as director of defense policy.
Seaton was named I Marine Division inspector at Camp Pendleton in 2001 and later assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment in June 2002 and lead the unit in the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Overseeing Seaton is Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert. While Seaton will be responsible for all Pendleton operations, Lehnert oversees all West Coast Marine installations as the result of a 2005 service restructuring.