Fillmore resident Marcos A. Ruvalcaba, 32 years, was promoted to a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on March 30, 2009. 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba attended Fillmore schools until the 9th grade when he transferred to St. Bonaventure High School. At St. Bonaventure he participated in soccer and baseball before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in February 1998. While in the United States Marine Corps he attended Chapman University from 2002-2005 where he studied Criminal Justice. 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba continued his college education as an enlisted Marine and earned a Batchelor of Arts degree which allowed him to attend Officer Candidates School. After completing Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on March 30, 2007 just nine years after enlisting in the United States Marine Corps.

1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba is the son of Aurelia and Jose Refugio Ruvalcaba of Fillmore. His siblings are Pablo 30 years of Santa Monica, CA, Victor 28 years of Santa Monica, CA, Jose 26 years of Fillmore and Mariza 22 years of Oregon. His maternal Grandparents are Manuel and the late Inez Aparicio of Fillmore and paternal Grandparents Longinos and the late Pachita Ruvalcaba of Fillmore. 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba has one cousin serving in the military; Alfredo Quesada served four years in the United States Navy Reserves.

Currently 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba is a Ground Intelligence Officer with the Military Transition Team 0720 (MiTT) from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California embedded with an Iraqi Army Brigade in Al Anbar province Baghdadi, Iraq. He has been deployed for one year and has five months remaining on his deployment. This is his second deployment to Iraq. When 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on March 30, 2009 an Iraqi Army Officer (Lieutenant Colonel equivalent) pinned his silver bars on his collar. 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba believes this was the first time an Iraqi Officer participated in the promotion of an American Officer!

The primary mission of transition teams is to advise the security forces of Iraq and Afghanistan in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics, and infantry tactics. The aim is to make the Iraqi Security Forces and Afghan National Army capable of conducting independent counterinsurgency operations, tactically, operationally, and logistically. When executing military operations with their Iraqi or Afghan partners, transition teams call for U.S. close air support, indirect fire, and medical evacuation, whenever necessary. They also perform the critical role of liaising between the foreign unit and nearby U.S. units to ensure that each unit is aware of and can assist the other in their operations. Transition teams also monitor and report on the capabilities of the fledgling security force. They work with their Iraqi and Afghan counterparts to enhance the understanding of the rule of law and fundamental human rights.

In Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the transition teams are a central part of the strategy to train and equip national security forces. One of the primary missions of U.S. military in Iraq is the training of competent Iraqi security forces. By the end of 2006, transition teams assisted in the training and equipping of approximately 326,000 Iraqi security services. That figure includes 138,000 members of the Iraqi Army and 188,000 Iraqi police and national police forces.

The Marines of 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, completed a month-long construction project in Baghdadi, Iraq on Feb. 25, 2009, in support of the Military Transition Team 0720. The Military Transition Team 0720’s mission in Baghdadi is to provide logistical advisement to the 27th Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, on how to function as a unit without the U.S. military’s constant physical presence. Before the project was finished, the MiTT was living and working in the Iraqi Army’s facilities. The completion of the project allows the Iraqis to occupy their own camp while still giving Marines access to assist with the Iraqi Army’s mission of achieving complete independence from Coalition forces. The construction project consisted of installing two hygiene trailers, a fuel point, barriers and laying a parking lot. The Engineer Support Battalion also built three super Southwest Asia (SWA) huts that will be used for a chow hall and working spaces, and 11 additional SWA huts that will be used for a laundry facility, berthing, a gym, and a phone and internet center.

As a result of his distinguished service to his Country, 1st Lieutenant Ruvalcaba has earned the following medals; (1) Global War on Terrorism, (2) United States Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, (1) Iraq Campaign Medal, (1) National Defense Medal, (1) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, (1) Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, (8) Letters of Appreciation, (1) Certificate of Commendation (individual award), (1) Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, (3) Meritorious Mast and (4) Certificates of Appreciation.

All of us here in the communities of Fillmore and Piru are proud of United States Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant Marcos A. Ruvalcaba for his service. We wish him safe travel and return home. We thank him and his family for the sacrifices they have already made and will make in the future. Lieutenant Marcos A. Ruvalcaba is one of our own and is truly an American Hero!