Commanding Officer
Colonel Stephen M. Pomeroy, USMC
Colonel Pomeroy attended The Citadel, graduating in May of 1978 with a BS degree in Business Administration and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant. After completion of the Basic School at Quantico, Virginia, he reported to NAS Pensacola, Florida, for pilot training and was designated a Naval Aviator at NAS Beeville, Texas on 9 September 1980.
First Lieutenant Pomeroy completed F-4 transition training at VMFAT-101 in April of 1981 and reported to VMFA-333 at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. There, he served as the Flight Officer during a 1982 Western Pacific deployment. Returning from overseas, First Lieutenant Pomeroy served as the “Shamrocks” Line Division Officer for another WestPac tour in 1983-84. Returning from WestPac, then Captain Pomeroy served as the H&MS-31 Training Officer while flying the TA-4F Skyhawk.
During the summer of 1984, Captain Pomeroy was transitioned to the RF-4B aircraft at Bergstrom AFB, Texas and assigned to VMFP-3 at MCAS El Toro, California where he served as the Assistant Operations Officer. Captain Pomeroy left for WestPac yet again, this time with VMFP-3 Detachment Bravo as the Administrative Officer. In the fall of 1985, Captain Pomeroy served as the “Rhino’s” Aircrew Training Officer and graduated from the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at MAWTS One in the fall of 1986. He then served as the Assistant Operations Officer, the Administrative Officer, and the Assistant Aircraft Maintenance Officer.
In the spring of 1988, Captain Pomeroy received his MBA from National University in San Diego, California. In January of 1989, he transitioned to the F/A-18 at VMFAT-101 and was then reassigned to VMFA-333 at MCAS Beaufort. Major Pomeroy attended the Aviation Safety Officer’s Course in Monterey, and then served as the “Shamrock’s” Director of Safety and Standardization. During the summer of 1990, VMFA-333 deployed to the Kuwait Theater of Operations for Desert Shield and Desert Storm where Major Pomeroy completed over forty combat missions in the F/A-18. Returning from Southwest Asia, he assumed duties as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer until the squadron’s shutdown in March of 1992.
Major Pomeroy was transferred to VMFA-312 where he served as the Operations Officer during the reintegration of Marine Corps F/A-18 squadrons aboard US Navy aircraft carriers. He deployed with the “Checkerboards” and Carrier Air Wing Eight aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Spring of 1993 and participated in Operation Deny Flight in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia and Operation Southern Watch in the Red Sea.
Major Pomeroy attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia in 1993-94 where he received a Masters of Military Studies from the Marine Corps University. He was then assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, Manpower and Reserve Affairs Department where he served as the Aviation Plans Officer with Manpower Plans and Programs Division and subsequently as the Head, Programs and Budget Section. Following refresher training at VFA-106 in the summer of 1996, Lieutenant Colonel Pomeroy returned to MCAS Beaufort where he was assigned as the MAG-31 Director of Safety and Standardization.
On 22 August 1997, Lieutenant Colonel Pomeroy assumed command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312. During the next 14 month period, VMFA-312 completed pilot training, intermediate and depot level maintenance on all assigned aircraft and embarked with Carrier Air Wing Three aboard USS Enterprise in the fall of 1998. Following a high-speed transit to the Persian Gulf, Lieutenant Colonel Pomeroy led VMFA-312 in combat support operations in Southern Watch and combat operations over Iraq during Operation Desert Fox. Following additional combat operations in the Adriatic Sea and Persian Gulf, VMFA-312 redeployed to MCAS Beaufort in the spring of 1999 and was selected as the Marine Corps Fighter squadron of the year for 1999. Lieutenant Colonel Pomeroy relinquished command in July of 1999.
In the summer of 1999, Lieutenant Colonel Pomeroy attended the National War College at Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C. He received a Master of Science in Military Strategy from the National Defense University and graduated National War College in the spring of 2000. Following graduation, Colonel Pomeroy was assigned to duties as Assistant Director, Requirements and CINC Liaison, Joint Theater Air & Missile Defense Organization, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In August 2004, Col Pomeroy assumed responsibilities as the Deputy Director of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Training Program (MSTP) in Quantico, Virginia where he developed and conducted training in MAGTF, Joint and Combined warfighting skills, within the Joint and Combined environment, in order to improve the warfighting skills of senior commanders and their staffs and to provide feedback into the Expeditionary Force Development System (EFDS).
In April 2006, Col Pomeroy reported aboard as the Commanding Officer and Professor of Naval Science of Naval ROTC Unit, Norwich University, the nation’s oldest private military college and home to the first ROTC unit. As the National Services Division Head at Norwich University, Col Pomeroy represents the three Services with resident ROTC programs in matters before the university and local community.
Col Pomeroy’s personal 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 combat “V”, four gold stars, and Strike/Flight numeral "6," and the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star. He has accumulated over 5000 hours of flight time and over 400 carrier arrested landings.
