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Marines


Leaders

Commanding General, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler

Major General Stephen E. Liszewski

Official Biography for Maj. Gen. Stephen E. Liszewski ...

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Chief of Staff of MCB Camp S. D. Butler

Dr. Peter M. Dawson CAPT, USN (Ret.)

Official Biography for Dr. Peter M. Dawson. ...

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Sergeant Major, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler

Sergeant Major Anthony J. Easton

Official Biography for Sgt. Maj. Anthony J. Easton...

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CO, Headquarters and Support Battalion
Colonel William L. DePue

Colonel William L. DePue, Jr. graduated from the US Naval Academy with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 1993.  Upon completion of the Basic School, he attended Naval Flight School and in May 1996 was designated a Naval Aviator.

As a First Lieutenant he was assigned to the Red Dragons of HMM-268 at MCAS El Toro, CA in January 1997 where he served as a CH-46E pilot and was promoted to Captain.  Captain DePue’s billets with the Red Dragons included Ground Safety Officer, Flightline Officer, Weapons and Tactics Instructor, and Current Operations Officer.  In 1998 and 2001 he deployed to WESTPAC with the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of 11th MEU.  During these deployments he participated in a variety of operations and exercises in Africa, Jordan, Egypt, and the Persian Gulf and provided humanitarian relief in East Timor.

In 2001, Capt DePue was selected to join the Night Hawks of HMX-1, the Presidential Helicopter Squadron.  There he was assigned to the Operational Test and Evaluation Department as an MV-22B Operational Test Director.  While assigned with the Night Hawks, he flew Presidential Support missions in the CH-46E; managed the mission planning system, survivability and maintenance test programs for the MV-22 Program; and attended the US Army’s Operations Research Systems Analysis Course, qualifying him as an Operations Research Specialist.  

In the summer of 2003, MV-22 Operational Test activities were moved from HMX-1 to the newly formed, dedicated Operational Test squadron, VMX-22.  Major DePue was transferred to VMX-22 at MCAS New River, NC where he was assigned as the Chief Operational Test Analyst.   While serving at VMX-22 he was designated an MV-22B pilot and participated in multiple test periods including the final aircraft Operational Evaluation.  In September 2005, Major DePue received orders to VMMT-204, the MV-22B Fleet Replacement Squadron.  There he served as an Instructor Pilot, the S-1 Officer, and Student Control Officer. 

In March of 2006, Major DePue was transferred to VMM-263 where he served as the Assistant Operations Officer for the first fleet MV-22B squadron transition.  In July 2007, he was selected for an individual augment billet with 2d MAW (FWD).  He deployed to Al Assad, Iraq in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM as the 2d MAW (FWD) Weapons and Tactics Instructor and MV-22 Transition Officer.  During this assignment he coordinated the introduction of the MV-22 into combat operations. 

Major DePue redeployed in January 2008 and was assigned as the MV-22 Transition Officer at MAG-26.  Upon VMM-263’s redeployment in April 2008, he rejoined VMM-263 as the Executive Officer.  During his tenure as Executive Officer, VMM-263 became the first reinforced VMM and chopped to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit as the Aviation Combat Element.  In May 2009 VMM-263 (REIN) deployed with the 22nd MEU, conducting exercises in Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, and Egypt.  In November 2009 VMM-263(REIN) delivered the first MV-22’s to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan for transfer to VMM-261.

In February, 2010 Lieutenant Colonel DePue rejoined the Argonauts of VMX-22 at MCAS New River serving as the Lead MV-22 Operational Test Director and the Chief Operational Test Director.  During this assignment he oversaw a variety of test activities including MV-22B fire bucket certification, MV-22B shipboard envelope expansion, MV-22B software upgrade evaluation, MV-22B Interim Defensive Weapon System and .50 caliber Ramp Mounted Weapon System evaluation, CH-53E and MV-22B expendable effectiveness testing, Hostile Fire Indicator evaluation, and CH-53E external loads certification.  In January 2012, LtCol DePue transferred to MAG-36 where he worked as the MV-22B Transition Officer, planning the introduction of the Osprey to Okinawa. 

In June, 2012 LtCol DePue assumed command of HMM-265.  In September 2012 the “Dragons” were redesignated from HMM-265 to VMM-265, transitioning from the CH-46E Sea Knight to the MV-22 Osprey and introducing the Osprey to the WESTPAC AOR.  During his tenure as the CO, the Dragons participated in multilateral exercises in the Republic of the Philippines, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.  As the Aviation Combat Element of the 31st MEU the squadron participated in Theater Security Cooperation exercises in Australia and Korea and provided humanitarian relief to the Philippines in support of Operation Damayan following Typhoon Haiyan. 

Following command LtCol DePue was assigned to the Headquarters Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs a Congressional Liaison for Acquisition Programs. 

Colonel DePue has logged over 3,400 mishap-free flight hours.  His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (with three gold stars in lieu of fourth award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with gold star in lieu of second award), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Marine Corps Base Camp Butler