Brigadier General Garcia is a native of Texas. He is a Distinguished Naval Graduate from Texas A&M University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and commissioned though the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Following his initial training as an Artillery Officer, he has held a variety of billets in and out of the operating forces, including assignments at Headquarters Marine Corps and the Joint Staff.
Brigadier General Garcia’s command billets include: Platoon Commander, 1st Battalion 11th Marines and Battery Commander in 1st Battalion 12th Marines. He commanded 1st Battalion, 11th Marines and deployed them to Afghanistan in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. He concluded command of artillery units as the Commander, 14th Marine Regiment.
Brigadier General Garcia’s billets in the operating forces include: Battery Forward Observer, Fire Direction Officer, and Battery Executive Officer within 1st Battalion 11th Marines; Assistant Fire Support Coordinator 3rd Marine Regiment. Other operational billets include Fires and Effects Coordinator, Regimental Combat Team-1 where he deployed to the Al Anbar Province in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and Division Fire Support Coordinator, deploying to Afghanistan with the First Marine Division (FWD) in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. He also served as the Regimental Logistics Officer, 11th Marine Regiment and served two separate tours at the Command Element, First Marine Expeditionary Force, first serving as the G-3 Fires and Effects Coordinator and later as the Assistant Chief of Staff G-3 Operations.
Brigadier General Garcia’s billets outside the operating forces include: Fire Support Instructor, Fire Support and Combined Arms Operations Department, Fort Sill Oklahoma; two tours at Headquarters Marine Corps at Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA) and at Programs and Resources (P&R). He also served on the Joint Staff in the Office of the Chairman as a Principal Deputy Legislative Assistant. He served as the Military Secretary to the 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps and later as the Director, Marine Corps House of Representatives Liaison Office.
He graduated with honors from Field Artillery Officer Basic Course and Amphibious Warfare School. He served as a Commandant of the Marines Corps National Fellow with Exxon Mobil Corporation and is a graduate of the National War College, Washington DC.
He holds a M.S. degree in Systems Analysis from the Naval Post Graduate School and a M.S. degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College.