The Admiral Grace Hopper Award
★★★ 2021 and Inaugural Recipient ★★★
Lieutenant General Loretta E. Reynolds is the Deputy Commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command. She was commissioned in May 1986 upon graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and assigned as a Communications Officer.
As a Company grade officer, she served in various billets at 1st Marine Division Communications Company, Marine Wing Communication Squadron 18 in Okinawa, Marine Corps Systems Command, and 9th Communication Battalion, I MEF.
As a Field Grade officer, she was selected to command Recruiting Station Harrisburg PA and then served as an Action Officer and Division Head at HQMC C4. She was selected to command 9th Communication Battalion in 2003 and deployed the battalion to Fallujah Iraq in support of I MEF during Operation Iraqi Freedom II. She was subsequently assigned to duty with the Joint Staff J6 in Washington DC where she was an Action Officer and Division Head. Col Reynolds assumed command of 1 MEF Headquarters Group in 2009 and deployed the Group to Helmand Province Afghanistan in support of I MEF and RC Southwest during Operation Enduring Freedom.
As a General Officer, she commanded Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island/Eastern Recruiting Region from 2011-2014, was the Principal Deputy to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense South and Southeast Asia in OSD Policy from 2014-2015 and commanded Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command from 2015-2018. LtGen Reynolds has commanded at every rank.
Her professional military education includes The Basic School, the Basic Communication Officer’s Course, Command and Control Systems Course, the Naval War College and the Army War College. She has earned Masters Degrees from both the Naval War College and the Army War College.
Her personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (with gold star), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with gold star).