Anthony Spadaro is a retired United States Marine Corps senior noncommissioned officer (Sergeant Major) who retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2020 after a distinguished 35-year military career. During his service, Anthony served at the most senior levels for the Marine Corps and Department of Defense. He culminated his service to our Nation as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the largest geographic combatant command with 380,000 uniformed (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines), and civilian members along with 36 partner nations. In this role, he provided the commander with the enlisted perspective on theater security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, and deterring aggression throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, he was responsible for mentoring senior enlisted leaders at four component commands, and coordinating with command joint directorates and senior enlisted members on matters pertaining to the command’s mission, vision, core values, commander’s intent, enlisted utilization, and professional development.
Hailing from New Brunswick, New Jersey, Anthony enlisted in the Marine Corps on 3 April 1985, and attended recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.
His operational assignments (Fleet Marine Force) included: Artillery Fire Direction Controllman and Artillery Nuclear Projectileman, Battery R, 5/11; Assistant Operations Chief, Battery G, 3/12; Intel Analyst/Chief, 11th Marines S-2; Regiment/Area Guard Chief; Regimental Meteorological Chief, 11th Marines; HQ Battery Platoon Sergeant; 11th Marines, Regimental Survey Chief, 11th Marines; Battery First Sergeant, Battery B, 1/12, Sergeant Major, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165, Sergeant Major, Aviation Combat Element, 15th MEU, Sergeant Major, Marine Aircraft Group-16.
His supporting establishment tours included: Watchstander, American Embassy Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire; Assistant Detachment Commander, and Detachment Commander, American Embassy Gaborone, Botswana; Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, Chief Drill Instructor, Company I, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego; Instructor, Drill Instructor School, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego; Company First Sergeant, Special Training Company, MCRD San Diego; Company First Sergeant, Company C, First Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD San Diego; Sergeant Major, First Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD, San Diego.
Combat Tours and deployments include, Desert Shield/Storm with Battery G, 3d Battalion, 12th Marines (attached to Battalion Landing Team, 3/1); two Unit Deployment Programs (UDP) to Okinawa (with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines); Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) (with the Aviation Combat Element of the15th Marine Expeditionary Unit) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), with the Aviation Combat Element, Regional Command Southwest, First Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).
At the General Officer/Flag Officer Level, Anthony served with: 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward); the Aviation Combat Element, Regional Command Southwest, First Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward); the Third Marine Aircraft Wing; Marine Forces Reserve/Marine Forces North; and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Anthony’s military education encompasses all levels of Professional Military Education courses: NCO Academy, SNCO Career Course, SNCO Advance Course, First Sergeant’s Course, Expeditionary Warfare School (by extension), Command and Staff College (by extension), Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, the Senior Enlisted Professional Military Education Course, the Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course, the Keystone Fellows Course (National Defense University), the Asian-Pacific Orientation Course and the Asia-Pacific Senior Executive Course, (Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies).
Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Summa Cum Laude), from Rutgers University in Labor and Management. He is currently enrolled in the John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University (completing a Masters Degree in Public Policy). Anthony served as a Senior Mentor for the Keystone Course, (National Defense University) and the Regional Leadership Development Program – Pacific, (United States Army Pacific).
Anthony’s significant awards and decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with Gold Star), the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (with Gold Star), the Air Medal (with strike numeral “3”), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with three Gold Stars), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal the Combat Action Ribbon, and Naval Aircrewman Insignia. He was inducted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara in 1996.
Though recently retired from the Marine Corps, Anthony’s next chapter has him serving as a consultant and strategist with the following companies/organizations: Vice President, Director of Development & Special Projects, The Robert Irvine Foundation, and BeaverFit USA. Additionally, he serves on the advisory boards for: the Asia-Pacific Security Innovation Forum and Center of Excellence (APSI), Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, FourBlock.org, FitOps, the Youth Impact Program, Our Community Salutes, USA and Roberts-Ryan Investments, Inc. Furthermore, he is the Vice President for Training, 5th Principle LLC; a leadership coach with the Resilience Building Leader Program and an Adjunct Faculty member with the Marine Corps University. Anthony owns his own consulting firm, Gravitas Leadership Solutions, LLC. He continues to focus his attention on empowering and assisting military members, veterans, and their families.
Anthony and his wife Kathryn reside in Honolulu.