GREAT LAKES, Ill. – Colonel David M. Fallon took command of the 9th Marine Corps District from Col. Jason L. Morris, today, during a change of command ceremony aboard Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois.
Morris, a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut, relinquished command after serving as the commander since July 18, 2014. During his tour, the 9th Marine Corps District enlisted more than 15,000 Marines and commissioned more than 500 officers.
Morris will continue serving the Marine Corps as the operations officer for I Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
He thanked Marines throughout the command for making the past three years a success.
“To the Marines, sailors and civilians at the district headquarters and all the [recruiting stations], thank you for the countless hours you’ve dedicated to the recruiting mission,” said Morris. “The district is in great shape and I look forward to seeing [Fallon] take it to the next level.”
Fallon, a native of Walpole, Massachusetts, came from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he received his second Master’s Degree, a Master’s of Art in National Security Strategy. Prior to the U.S. Naval War College, he served as the executive officer for the 2nd Marine Regiment at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Fallon said he is excited to be assuming the recruiting mission in the Midwest and thanked Morris for leading the 9th Marine Corps District the past three years.
“Thank you Col. Morris for the history of great success you’ve left for me here at the district,” said Fallon. “I assure you all that I’m going to give it my very best effort to leading this district.”
Fallon earned his commission as a second lieutenant in 1994 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Science in History from Boston College.
He began his career as an infantry officer with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, as a platoon commander, company executive officer and assistant operations officer and deployed to Liberia, Japan and Panama.
He later served as the Weapons Company commander with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, where he deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Secure Tomorrow.
He attended a Leadership and Development Program at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004, where he earned his first Master’s Degree and remained at the academy as a company commander and representative for the wrestling team.
He previously served as a commanding officer for Recruiting Station Charleston in West Virginia from 2007-2010, before moving on to become the executive officer for 2nd Marine Regiment in 2013.
There he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to Morón Air Base, Spain, with the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa Command Element.
Before the ceremony ended, Fallon expressed his enthusiasm about 9th Marine Corps District’s way ahead.
“I look forward to working with each and every person within the district,” said Fallon. “I can’t wait to see the direction we get to take the district. I promise you that I’ll keep the ‘main thing’ the ‘main thing’ and that’s making mission.”