Biography

Colonel Tavuchis obtained a commission through the Officer Candidate Course on 16 August 1991.

After completing The Basic School in February 1992, Colonel Tavuchis attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Upon Graduating from Fort Sill in July 1992, Colonel Tavuchis was assigned to I Battery, (3/12), 1st Battalion, 10th Marines as a Forward Observer.  He was subsequently assigned to B Battery, 1st Battalion 10th Marines as a Forward Observer in December 1992.  In March 1993, he was assigned as Assistant Executive Officer/Fire Direction Officer for B Battery.

In December 1993, Colonel Tavuchis was assigned to Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine for duty as the Battery Executive Officer where he served until March 1994 when he was assigned duties as Battery Executive Officer for B Battery.  During this assignment, B Battery was designated a Provisional Rifle Company and deployed with Special Purpose MAGTF Caribbean (BLT 2/2) to Haiti in support of Operation Support/Uphold Democracy.  During this period, Colonel Tavuchis was selected for Augmentation.  Upon his return to CONUS, Colonel Tavuchis served as Assistant S-4 for 1st Battalion, 10th Marines from January 1995 until March 1995.

In April 1995, Colonel Tavuchis was assigned to Marine Corps Security Force Company, Naval Air Station North Island, CA for duty as the Assistant Guard Officer until August 1996.  He was subsequently assigned as the Guard Officer from September 1996 to June 1997.

Upon completion of his tour with Security Forces, Colonel Tavuchis attended Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) in Quantico, Virginia graduating in May 1998.  Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan where he served as Assistant Operations Officer/Fire Support Officer.  During this tour, the 31st MEU was deployed to the Persian Gulf from November 1998 to March 1999 in support of Operation Desert Fox.

After his tour with the 31st MEU in June 1999, Colonel reported for duty with 5th Battalion, 11th Marines as the logistics officer, battery commander, and battalion operations officer.

Between July 2002 and May 2005, Colonel Tavuchis served as the Indirect Fire Capabilities Officer, Materiel Capabilities Division, EFDC, MCCDC (CD&I).

Colonel Tavuchis served as the Executive Officer, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines from May 2005 until September 2005 until he was assigned to RCT-5 as the Fire Support Coordinator and Information Operations Officer and deployed in support of OIF during 2006.  Upon his return, he was selected for Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to 11th Marines as the Operations Officer until November 2007 when he was assigned duties as the Regimental Executive Officer until May 2008.  He assumed command of 1st Battalion, 12th Marines in June 2008 and deployed in support of OIF during 2008/9, relinquishing command in June 2010. After attending the National War College in June 2011, he assumed duties as Deputy Division Chief, Arabian Peninsula Division, Middle East Directorate, J-5, Joint Staff until May 2013.  He was then promoted to Colonel in 2013 and assigned Ground Colonels Monitor, MMOA, M&RA.

Colonel Tavuchis holds a BA in International Relations, an MA in Military Studies (with Honors) and a Masters of Business Administration (with Honors) from the American Military University. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff Distance Education Program (CSDEP) and the National War College.