Col. Kevin Norton

Deputy Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group THREE (ESG 3)

12 July 2022 Col Norton enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1990. His first MOS was as an artilleryman in C Btry, 1st Bn, 12th Marines (Kaneohe Bay, HI).  Participated in combat operations during OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM and deployed in support of Exercise Valiant Usher (Philippines) aboard the USS San Bernardino (LST 1189).  December 1993 he was commissioned as a 2ndLt via the Enlisted Commissioning Program.
•    1994-1995 served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Heavy Machine Gun Platoon Commander and Weapons Company Executive Officer in 2nd Bn, 6th Mar (Camp Lejeune, NC). Participated in operations with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR aboard the USS Shreveport (LPD-12).
•    1997-1998 he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander in Ground Security Defense Forces, Marine Barracks, Guantanamo Bay Cuba.
•    1998-2000 he served as the Officer Selection Officer in Recruiting Station Salt Lake City, UT.
•    2001-2004 he served in 3d Bn, 4th Mar (Twenty-nine Palms, CA) as the Commanding Officer Headquarters and Service Company, Commanding Officer K Company and Battalion Operations Officer. During this tour he participated in a unit deployment to Okinawa  and combat operations in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM I and II.
•    2005-2007 he served as Commanding Officer Recruiting Station New Jersey.
•    2007-2009 he returned to 3d Bn, 4th Mar and served as the Battalion Executive Officer. During this tour he participated in support of combat operations in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 08-1.
•    2009-2011 he served as a strategic planner in J5 Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Strategic Command (NE).
•    2011-2012 he served as the Commanding Officer 1st Bn, 4th Mar (Camp Pendleton, CA) and led Battalion Landing Team 1/4 on a Pacific Deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Okinawa) aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2), USS Denver (LPD-9) and USS Tortuga (LSD-46).  During this tour the BLT participated in Exercises Cobra Gold (Thailand), Balikatan (Philippines)and SSang Yong (Republic of Korea).
•    September 2012-January 2014 he served as Deputy Team Chief, Corps Advisor Team, Afghan National Army, 215th Corps, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
•    January 2014-June 2014 he served as the Officer in Charge, 1st Marine Regiment (Camp Pendleton, CA).
•    June 2014-June 2015 he served as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow with General Dynamics MS in Scottsdale, AZ.
•    July 2015-May 2016 he served as the Inspector General, MCRD/WRR San Diego, CA.
•    June 2016-July 2018, he served as the Commanding Officer, 4th Marine Regiment/Camp Commander for Camp Schwab, Okinawa.  During this period he deployed aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) as the CO for RLT-4 in support of Exercise Talisman Sabre (Australia), Cobra Gold and Ssang Yong.
•    July 2018-July 2019 he served as the Chief of Staff, 3d Marine Division.
•    July 2019-July 2022 Professor of Naval Science, NROTC University of Arizona.
Col Norton is a native of Wilkes-Barre, PA. He received a Bachelors of Science degree from Union College (Lincoln, NE) in 1989 where he majored in social science/secondary education. He is a graduate of Infantry Captain's Career Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College and served as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow.