MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Colonel Yori R. Escalante, during a ceremony at John A. Lejeune Hall,
retired after 30 years of selfless service to the Marine Corps at Marine
Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Oct. 14.
“How does someone define 30 years in the Marine Corps,” said Col. Yori
R. Escalante, deputy commander of Marine Corps Installations East-Marine
Corps Base Camp Lejeune. “In my opinion it’s the people, it’s the
people that you serve with, it’s the people who have influenced you and
molded and shaped you into what you are today.”
Escalante deployed to Aviano, Italy in support of Operation Joint
Endeavor, to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and
twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Gen. Charles
L. Hudson first met Escalante at Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and
enjoyed having him as chief of staff.
“I’ll tell you what, (there’s) no finer chief of staff (that I’ve) ever
had than this man right here,” said Hudson. “And I say that because at
that particular point in time there were numerous issues that had to be
resolved, joyfully resolved at the chief of staff level.”
Over his career Escalante earned the Defense Superior Service Medal, the
Legion of Merit with gold star, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious
Service Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation Medal with gold star.
Escalante also received the Navy Achievement Medal, the Presidential
Unit Citation, and NATO Medals for Former Republic of Yugoslavia and the
International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan.
“If I could use one word to describe Col. Yori Escalante I couldn’t come
up with a word,” said Hudson. “I came up with several, but I couldn’t
come up with any one. I mentioned tenacity and tenaciousness; deeply
committed to God; country and Corps; deeply passionate about his
profession; and deeply passionate about his family. I mean he spent 30
years of honest and faithful service in many a clime and place.”
Escalante went to Texas A&M University earning a Bachelor of Science
in Building Construction in December 1986 then became a combat engineer
in the Marine Corps the next year in 1987. During his career he earned
his Master of Arts in Management from Webster University and Master of
Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the
Armed Forces. He is now married with two children and ready for
retirement.
“This is just the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, the
next chapter I think will be good,” said Hudson.
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