 Col. Mario LaPaix
Chief of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa
Col. LaPaix graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history in 1977. Citizenship delayed postponed his opportunity for an immediate commissioning; so he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina as a meritorious PFC. His first duty station was Marine Barracks, Security Guard Detachment Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. In 1980, Cpl. LaPaix was reassigned to Headquarters Company, Officer Candidate School Quantico, Virginia. In Feb. 1981, Cpl. LaPaix was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program and after successful completion of Officer Candidate School; he was commissioned a second lieutenant.
After graduating from The Basic School in Quantico, Va., and Combat Engineer School in North Carolina , 2nd Lt. LaPaix was assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd FSSG, Okinawa, Japan, where he served as a platoon commander and battalion adjutant. During this tour of duty, he led his platoon on deployment to Pohang and Taegu, Korea to conduct road construction and culverts in support of CSSD-32. In July 1983, 1st Lt. LaPaix was transferred to Marine Corps Combat Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he served as the training/operations officer and the schoolhouse assistant demolition instructor.
In May 1985, 1st Lt. LaPaix joined 6th Communication Battalion, Bronx, N.Y. He attended Communications Officers School in Quantico, Va., and subsequently served as a platoon commander, operations officer and executive officer for Long Lines Company. In October 1990, Capt. LaPaix assumed command of Communications Support Company and led their deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He later served as the assistant facilities officer for I Marine Expeditionary Force, G-4 Engineers, 2nd SRIG he was responsible for the construction and operational management of the AIR AIDE SCUD ALARM system prior to D-day. He concurrently served as the facilities liaison with the Royal Commission from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Capt. LaPaix also served as the personal briefer to Maj. Gen. Hopkins, the Jubail Area Commander, on all facility engineering plans. In October 1991, Maj. LaPaix assumed command of Headquarters Company, 6th Communication Battalion.
In Sept. 1994, Maj. LaPaix was recalled to U.S. Atlantic Command as part of the J-5 Planning Cell for Joint Police Operations in Haiti and later served as the International Police Monitors (IPM’s) military liaison officer for Haiti’s largest city, Port Au Prince. Maj. LaPaix concurrently served as IPM Director Mr. Raymond Kelly’s Security Chief and Personal Interpreter during Operation Uphold and Restore Democracy. In 1995, Maj. LaPaix assumed command of Long Lines Company. In 1997, Lt. Col. LaPaix was selected as the executive officer for 6th Communication Battalion; and in Sept. 1998, Lt. Col. LaPaix was selected to command 6th Communication Battalion.
In Oct. 2000, following a successful tour as a battalion commander, Lt. Col. LaPaix assumed command of Detachment 4-2, 4th Civil Affairs Group, Washington, D.C. While there, Lt. Col. LaPaix directed key initiatives such as operational planning for the Bosnia and Kosovo contingencies. During this tour, he attended both the Army Civil Affairs and Advanced Civil Affairs schools at Fort Bragg, N.C., as the honor graduate. In July of 2001, Lt. Col. LaPaix was selected for the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where he earned a Masters degree in national security and strategic studies.
In Jan. 2003, Lt. Col. LaPaix was selected and frocked to colonel to command MARCENT Djibouti and assumed the executive agent responsibility for CENTCOM. As the Camp Lemonier counter-terrorism base camp commander, he was in direct support of CJTF-HOA operations. Responsible for the security and well being of the joint forces located in Djibouti during Operations Enduring/Iraqi Freedom. In 2004, Col. LaPaix was recalled by SOUTHCOM to assist, plan, and execute CJTF-Haiti’s Operation Secure Tomorrow. During his tour with SOUTHCOM, Col. LaPaix, who is fluent in Creole and French, led the advanced party to Haiti, first to establish the headquarters and linguistics cell and later assumed follow-on responsibility as the special advisor to the CJTF Commander and acted as the senior military liaison officer to the Haitian government.
In Oct. 2005, Col. LaPaix assumed command of 4th Civil Affairs Group (CAG) in Washington D.C. and in 2006/2007 led the CAG to its 3rd deployment in Iraq. During this combat tour he served as a Major Subordinate Commander (MSC) responsible for MNF-West Civil Affairs Marines, Army and Navy personnel. Col. LaPaix concurrently served as the MEF’s civil military operations director and the primary CMO/CA adviser to the commander. During his tenure as the CAG commander, he successfully completed the Joint Interagency Course at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the Joint Civil Military Planners Workshop at the Joint Special Operations University, in Pensacola, Fla., and a graduate of the Certificate Program on Post-Conflict Transition at the United States Institute for Peace, Washington, D.C.
In Sept. 2007, Colonel LaPaix was selected as the Deputy Chief of Staff, for U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa (MARFORAF) and in August of 2008 assumed the responsibility as its first Chief of Staff and the distinction of supporting the new sixth geographic combatant command U.S. AFRICOM.
Col. LaPaix holds a Masters Degree in government from Fordham University and a Masters degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. He is a 1993 graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School in Little Creek, Va., and a 2001 graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He is also a graduate of the Reserve National Security Course from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
Col. LaPaix’s personal decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with bronze star oak leaf; Meritorious Service Medal with a gold star; Navy Commendation Medal with three gold stars; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars; The New York State Cross Order from Governor Cuomo, The New York State Medal for Valor from Governor Pataki, the NYC Proclamation from Mayor Guiliani, the Maritime Heroism Award from AMVER Port of New York and New Jersey and the recipient of the Grand Master of Orders of the Great Star Djibouti Medal from President Guelleh.
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