LtCol Sutey is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1994 and served as an Assaultman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines prior to earning a commission in 1998 through the Platoon Leaders Course.
After attending The Basic Officer Course and Infantry Officer Course, LtCol Sutey joined 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1) and served as a platoon commander from 1999-2003. He held billets with the Maritime Special Purpose Force and Combined Anti-Armor Team, completed two Western Pacific deployments with the 13th and 11th Marine Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable), and participated in Operations DETERMINED RESPONSE and ENDURING FREEDOM (Horn of Africa). In 2003, he deployed a third time with 3/1 and led the CAAT platoon during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
LtCol Sutey’s next assignment was as the Marine Officer Instructor for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During this tour, he also served two consecutive summers as platoon commander for Company G, Officer Candidate School.
In 2006, LtCol Sutey reported to 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2d LAR Bn) and deployed to Iraq as the Assistant Operations Officer. He completed a third tour to Iraq in 2008 as the Commanding Officer of Company A and assumed the duties of Battalion Operations Officer upon redeployment. LtCol Sutey deployed again in 2009 with 2d LAR Bn and served as both the Operations and Executive Officer during Operation KHANJAR as part of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan. LtCol Sutey then reported to Marine Corps University from 2010-2012 before being assigned to the Strategic Initiatives Group at Headquarters Marine Corps until 2015.
LtCol Sutey’s professional military education includes the School of Advanced Warfighting, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, U.S. Army Armor Captains Career Course, and the Basic School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from La Roche College, a Masters of Arts degree in International Studies from North Carolina State University, a Masters of Operational Studies from Marine Corps University, and is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Fellow.
LtCol Sutey’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with combat distinguishing devices, and two Combat Action Ribbons.