Assistants to the commandant of the Marine Corps Before the official title of "Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps" was adopted in 1946, the title of the position was known as "Assistant to the Commandant" and before 1918, known only as "Duty in the Office of the Commandant". No records exist before the outbreak of
World War I about this position, possibly because the Commandant likely had only administrative staff and no deputy. The first assistant to the commandant was
Lieutenant Colonel (from 1914
Colonel)
Eli K. Cole, who assumed the position on April 29, 1911. From April 29, 1911, to October 16, 1946, 19 men were assigned to assist the commandant, including five who later became commandant:
John A. Lejeune,
Wendell C. Neville,
Ben H. Fuller,
John H. Russell Jr., and
Alexander A. Vandegrift. }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}
Assistant commandants of the Marine Corps In 1946, Congress established the position of "assistant commandant of the Marine Corps" and since then, 31 men have held the position.
Major General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. was the first to hold the billet and went on to become commandant, as well as seven others:
Randolph M. Pate,
Leonard F. Chapman Jr.,
Robert H. Barrow,
Paul X. Kelley,
James F. Amos,
Joseph Dunford and
Eric M. Smith. As with the commandant, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps is appointed by the president based on advice and consent of the Senate and, once appointed, will be promoted to the grade of
general. The duties of the assistant commandant include such authority and duties as the commandant – and with the approval of the
secretary of the Navy – may delegate to or prescribe for him. Orders issued by the assistant commandant in performing such duties have the same effect as those issued by the commandant. When there is a vacancy in the office of the commandant of the Marine Corps, or during the absence or disability of the commandant, the assistant commandant shall perform the duties of the commandant until a successor is appointed or the absence or disability ceases. }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}
Timeline ==See also==