Lieutenant Colonel Craig Schnappinger hails from Mystic, Connecticut and is a 2004 graduate of Fairfield University. He was commissioned in 2005, attended The Basic School in 2006, and graduated Basic Communications Officer Course in 2007. He has served in a variety of assignments in the Fleet Marine Forces to include: S-6A for Combat Logistics Regiment 1, S-6 for Combat Logistics Battalion 5, Squadron Operations Officer and Company Commander for Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28, S-6 for 2d Marine Regiment, as well as the Aide de Camp to the Commanding General of 2nd MAW Forward.
Lieutenant Colonel Schnappinger has participated in numerous named operations, to include: Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq); Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (Afghanistan); Operation Odyssey Resolve (Libya); Operation Nimble Shield (South Sudan).
Lieutenant Colonel Schnappinger’s B-billet assignments include: Duty at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, where he served as Series Commander, F Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Commander of H Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, and Operations Officer of Recruit Training Regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Schnappinger’s most recent assignment was the White House Communications Agency where he commanded the Presidential Communications Command where he led over 300 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and government civilians, providing support to over 400 worldwide missions in support of the President, Vice President, and First Lady of the United States.
Lieutenant Colonel Schnappinger is a graduate of Advanced Communications Officers Course in 2012, the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course in 2012, the Expeditionary Warfare School in 2015, Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 2020, and the Joint Forces Staff College in 2022. He holds a, Master of Science in Military Studies from the Marine Corps University.
His personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Services Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/gold star, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/gold star.