CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, Japan -- CAMP KINSER, Okinawa, Japan – After 22 years of honorable service, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Christopher DeJesus, the executive officer of 3rd Electronic Maintenance Company, 3rd Maintenance Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Group (Experimental), 3rd Marine Logistics Group, held his retirement ceremony May 4, 2022. In attendance were his wife, Tonya DeJesus, their four children, and Marines and Sailors from units across III Marine Expeditionary Force. His friends and family who are back home in the U.S. tuned in virtually to witness the closing of this chapter in his life.
Capt. DeJesus, a native of Spanish Harlem, New York, enlisted in the Marine Corps and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in January 2000. Upon completion of his initial training, he was assigned to Marine Corps Communications and Electronics School in Twentynine Palms, California, and graduated as an electronics communications radio repairman. In November 2000, he reported to his first unit, 3rd ELMACO, 3rd Material Readiness Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group, as a radio repairman, the forerunner of the very same unit he is retiring from.
In February 2007, after numerous tours in the fleet and a tour as a canvassing recruiter for Recruiting Substation Staten Island, Recruiting Station New York, 1st Marine Corps District, Capt. DeJesus was promoted to Staff Sgt. and was given the responsibility of being a substation commander in the East Bronx, New York, the same recruiting station he walked into when he enlisted in October 1999.
Capt. DeJesus was selected for the warrant officer program in September 2010 and was appointed as a warrant officer February 1, 2011. Upon completion of the Warrant Officer Basic Course aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Capt. DeJesus returned to serve in the fleet. On March 1, 2017, after serving as a chief warrant officer for 6 years, he was selected as a limited duty officer and was promoted to captain.
“Capt. DeJesus has seen and done it all in his time serving the Marine Corps,” said Lt. Col. Lonnie McGhee, the senior electronics maintenance officer in III MEF, and Capt. DeJesus’ mentor. “His distinguishing feature is his tenacity and ferocity for doing the right thing in the right way. Marines trust and look up to him because they know that he will always keep it real with them. He has led and mentored many Marines and Sailors throughout his career and I know the hole he is leaving in our Corps will be filled with the next generation of steadfast Marines who have had the opportunity to work with him.”
Capt. DeJesus had a smile on his face throughout the entirety of the ceremony. His wife, whom he first met when initially stationed on Okinawa in 2000, and children, all fought back tears of joy witnessing their husband and father being honored at his retirement ceremony. Capt. DeJesus was also awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal during his ceremony.
“I have loved my time in the Marine Corps,” said Capt. DeJesus. “Even though I will be sad to go, it is now time for me to refocus my attention fully on my family who have sacrificed so much to support me while I’ve served. I will never be able to fully pay back those sacrifices, but it is my intention to devote myself to seeing my family grow and flourish.”
Capt. DeJesus, you stand relieved. We have the watch.
3rd MLG, based out of Okinawa, Japan, is a forward-deployed combat unit that serves as III Marine Expeditionary Force’s comprehensive logistics and combat service support backbone for operations throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.