Biography
Commanding Officer, 1st Reconnaissance Bn
Maj. J. M. Erb

Major Jeffrey Michael Erb is currently serving as Operations Officer, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division.

 

Jeff Erb was born on 3 November 1980 in Muskegon, Michigan and was raised in the same area until the age of eighteen. He joined the Marine Corps on 12 January 1999, as an infantryman. He completed Recruit Training in San Diego and the Rifleman Course at the School of Infantry West.

 

In June 1999 he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. While there he held the billets of automatic rifleman, squad leader, platoon sergeant, and platoon commander. In Company L as the mechanized company, he deployed with the 13th and 11th Marine Expeditionary Units and participated in Operation Determined Response in support of security operations for the protection of the USS Cole and humanitarian assistance operations in East Timor. In 2003 he deployed again with 1st Marine Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom as a squad leader.

 

Upon returning from that deployment Sergeant Erb executed orders to MECEP Preparatory School. He then transferred to 1st Battalion, 24th Marines I&I to attend college at the University of Michigan as a MECEP participant.

 

While attending the University of Michigan he completed Officers Candidate School in 2004. He was promoted to staff sergeant in January 2006 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in April 2006 after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in General Physics. He transferred to Company E, The Basic School in July 2006. He then completed Infantry Officer Course in April 2007.

 

Second Lieutenant Erb transferred to Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in April 2007 and was assigned as a rifle platoon commander. He deployed in August of that same year to Kubaysah, Iraq in support of OIF 6-8. Upon returning from deployment he was assigned as the Company B Executive Officer and promoted to first lieutenant. He deployed to Karmah, Iraq again in support of OIF 9.2 in Jan 2009.

 

In November 2009 First Lieutenant Erb transferred to 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and was assigned as the Assistant Operations Officer. Promoted to captain, he then deployed in June 2010 in support of OEF 10 holding four billets - Assistant Operations Officer, Fires Officer, Headquarters and Service Company Commander, and Battalion Personal Security Detachment OIC. He returned from that deployment and was assigned to the Force Reconnaissance Company as a platoon commander. He deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit in August 2013.

 

Upon returning from that deployment in April 2014, he transferred to the Maneuver Captains Career Course on Fort Benning, Georgia as a student. He graduated the course on October 31, 2014, and checked in to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines in November 2014, to take command of Company C in December 2014. In May 2015, he deployed to the Baltic Sea as a Company Landing Team in support of BALTOPS 2015. He was promoted to Major in May 2016, and in June 2016, he deployed as the Mechanized Company Commander and senior Marine Officer aboard ship for the 22D Marine Expeditionary Unit. Upon returning from that deployment he was assigned as the technology integration lead for the battalion for three months while awaiting transfer.

 

In July 2017 Major Erb transferred to and assumed command of Force Reconnaissance Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. He developed and trained four platoons for the battalion to fill requirements in support of multiple Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments. In September 2019 he was assigned the additional duties of the Battalion Operations Officer for a period of three months. He was then assigned permanently as the Battalion Operations Officer in February 2019.

 
1st Marine Division