Marine Aircraft Group 49 Detachment A
"Commanding Officer"
Lieutenant Colonel
Thomas J. Nemeth III was born in San Diego, California on 9 October
1963. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1985 and served as
an ammunition technician with Headquarters and Service Company, 4th
Tank Battalion. He graduated from San Diego State University in May
1989 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics; having completed
Platoon Leaders Class the previous year, he was concurrently
commissioned a Second Lieutenant. He was designated a Naval Aviator
in March 1992 and reported to Marine Helicopter Training Squadron
303 for flight instruction in the AH-1W.
LtCol
Nemeth was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267
in September 1992. He deployed to Okinawa, Japan and was assigned
to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)
as a member of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 (Composite).
In December 1993,
LtCol Nemeth was assigned to 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment as a
Forward Air Controller and deployed with the battalion to Okinawa,
Japan where 3/5 was assigned as the Ground Combat Element of the
31st MEU(SOC).
In 1995,
LtCol Nemeth was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39. He
conducted refresher training at HMT-303 and then returned to
HMLA-267. In 1996, he was detached to Marine Medium Helicopter
Squadron 166 (Reinforced) for deployment with the 11th MEU(SOC). In
1997, he relocated to Quantico, Virginia to attend Marine Corps
Amphibious Warfare School.
LtCol Nemeth
graduated from AWS in 1998 and returned to MAG-39 where he was again
assigned to HMLA-267. He complete two deployments during this tour:
one to Okinawa, Japan on the Unit Deployment Program; and a second
as the Officer in Charge of the HMLA-267 detachment to HMM-268
(Rein) for deployment with the 11th MEU(SOC).
In October 2001,
LtCol Nemeth was assigned to the First Marine Expeditionary Force
Operations Department as the MEU Officer. Following this tour, he
attended Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico,
Virginia.
LtCol Nemeth
returned to MAG-39 in July 2003 and deployed to Kuwait as an
Individual Augment to the Coalition Land Forces Component Command in
support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Upon return he was assigned to
HMLA-267 as the Executive Officer. In August 2005, LtCol Nemeth
reported to MAG-39 Headquarters Squadron where he served as the
Operations Officer.
In May 2007, LtCol
Nemeth was assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Korea as the
Assistant Chief of Staff G-5.
LtCol Nemeth
reported to MAG-42 in June 2008 to activate and assume command of
Detachment A, Marine Aircraft Group 49.
LtCol Nemeth's
personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the
Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with three gold stars), the
Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Navy/Marine Corps
Achievement Medal. He is married to the former Susan Marie Lovins
of San Diego, California; they have two daughters, Lea 20 and Hayli
16.
