On Thursday 11 May 2023, the Marines' Memorial Association continued 2023 Lecture Series with featured speaker MajGen Benjamin T. Watson, USMC, Commanding General, 1st Marine Division. MajGen Watson provided an updated on what is going on with The Blue Diamond and Force Design 2030 implementation at the deck plate-level.
MajGen Ben Watson Bio: A career infantry officer, MajGen Watson was commissioned out of Cornell University NROTC program in 1991 and first served in 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, deploying with the 24th and 26th MEU(SOC). He’s had command at every level:
- Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines.
- “Thundering” 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (2008-2011) - with the 31st MEU and bonus trip to Helmand Province, Afghanistan
- Marine Barracks Washington, DC - 8th and I (2014-2016)
- Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Marine Division (2016-2017)
- CG, Task Force Southwest in Helmand and Nimroz Provinces, AFG, (early 2018)
- CG, Marine Corps Installations, East, in Camp Lejeune
- CG, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (2019-2022)
He also served multiple instructor and staff tours and tours in and out of the operating forces:
- Instructor tours at TBS, IOC, AWS
- Military Assistant to the Senior Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian & Pacific Security Affairs
- Special Assistant to Defense Chuck Hagel Chief of Staff.
In July of 2022, Major General Watson assumed command of the 1st Marine Division.