Outgoing head of Marine Corps Reserve reflects on tenure

Lt. Gen. David Bellon has commanded Marine Forces Reserve since 2019. The 35-year Marine veteran first served on active-duty until 1997 when he joined the Reserve and returned to active duty for four combat tours supporting both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

He will relinquish command on March 21 to Lt. Gen. Leonard F. Andreson IV. Bellon spoke with Marine Corps Times recently about changes in the Reserve over the nearly five years of his tenure.

Q: What was going on in the Marine Corps Reserve when you took over in 2019?

A: We had reached our final confirmation of size and unit orientation post-OEF and post-OIF. OEF was still going on, we still had reservists there but we were no longer sending battalions or squadrons on a regular basis. But the Reserve had finished its large-scale mobilization and support.