Colonel Grover C. Lewis, III was born and raised in Minden, Louisiana and attended Northeast Louisiana University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in May 1981.  He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from Officer Candidate School in December 1982.  Following completion of the Basic School in June 1983, Lieutenant Lewis attended the Infantry Officer Course (IOC) in Quantico, Virginia.  Upon completion of IOC, he reported for duty with 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, California where he served as a Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer.  In May of 1985, he was augmented into the regular forces and assigned the logistics military occupational specialty.  Following Logistics Officers Course in Little Creek, Virginia, he rejoined 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment as the Assistant Logistics/Embarkation Officer.  In 1987, he was promoted to Captain and assigned to the School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton, California as the Logistics Officer.  

 

In 1989, Captain Lewis was assigned as the Logistics Officer for Marine Security Forces Battalion at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California.  Following this tour, he was assigned to 1st Battalion 8th Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he served as the Battalion Landing Team Logistic Officer and deployed as part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.  In 1994 he was selected to the rank of Major and served as the Headquarters Battalion Logistics Officer before attending Marine Command and Staff College, Quantico, Virginia in 1995.  

 

Following graduation, Major Lewis was assigned duty as the Assignments Officer (Monitor) for Combat Service Support Majors at Headquarters Marine Corps, Manpower Management, Officer Assignments.  In August 1998, he was selected to serve as the aide-de-camp for the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.  He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in August 1999 and was assigned to G-3 Operations section 2nd Force Service Support Group, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

 

Lieutenant Colonel Lewis assumed Command of Marine Wing Support Squadron – 171, Iwakuni, Japan on 13 June 2000.  Following a successful Command tour in 2002, he was selected to attend top level school at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Masters Degree in National Resource Strategy in June 2003.  Following top level school, Colonel Lewis was assigned as Deputy Director, Asian-Pacific Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs.  Colonel Lewis assumed command of Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools, Camp Johnson, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in July 2005 and completed his tour in July 2007.  He was assigned as the Branch Head for Performance Evaluation Review, Headquarters, Quantico, Virginia for a few months before deploying to Iraq as an individual augment as the Chief of Operations, Multi-National Corps Iraq from Oct 2007 – April 2008.  Upon his return, Colonel Lewis was assigned as Promotions Branch Head, Quantico, Virginia until 31 July 2009.  He assumed duties as Assistant Chief of Staff /Director of Security and Emergency Services, Marine Corps Installations East/Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune North Carolina in August 2009.  Following a short stint as Executive Officer of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, he assumed the duties as Assistant Chief of Staff for Government and External Affairs.  Colonel Lewis retired after 30 years of service on 1 January 2013. 

 

Colonel Lewis’ personal decorations include two Legion of Merits, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, Navy Commendation Medal with two stars in lieu of third award and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal.  Colonel Lewis was inducted into the United States Veterans Hall of Fame in October 2021 due to his honorable service.  Colonel Lewis and his wife Renea live in Jacksonville, North Carolina where he worked part time for the City of Jacksonville’s Police Department as the Accreditation Manager until December 2022.  Colonel Lewis is actively engaged in his community, volunteers, mentors and is involved in his church and community development.    

​