Lt. Col. Jefrey Michael Arnold, 44, a proud U.S. Marine, died Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.
He was born August 1963 in Dallas, but called Fairhope home. He graduated from Auburn University in June 1986 with a B.A. in mass communications. While at Auburn, he was “Aubie” Mascot No. 7.
After graduation, he was commissioned through the NROTC program, and entered The Basic School in July 1986. Upon completion of TBS, he reported to Field Artillery Officers Basic Course in Fort Sill, Okla. He was designated an Artillery Officer and reported to Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, May of 1987.
As an Artillery Officer, he held assignments as a Forward Observer for two infantry battalions, 1st and 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment. He was a Fire Direction Officer, Platoon Commander for Alpha Battery, and the Battery’s liaison officer for two more infantry battalions: 2nd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment and 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment. During this assignment he completed a six-month deployment to Okinawa, and also completed Aerial Observer School at MCAS New River North Carolina.
Upon completion of his Artillery tour, he was fortunate to remain in the Fleet Marine Force. He reported to VMO-1 at MCAS New River as an Aerial Observer in the mighty OV-10 Bronco in June of 1990. He was the Ground Training Officer, Schedule Writer, and the Adjutant while in VMO-1. In December 1990, he deployed to Southwest Asia for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. A year after Desert Storm he was selected for Flight School through the fleet accession board.
He reported to NAS Pensacola in September 1992 and was designated as a Naval Flight Officer in August 1994. He received orders to MCAS El Toro for F/A-18D replacement training and upon completion was assigned to VMFA(AW)-225 “Vikings” in October 1995.
While with the Vikings, he completed two WESTPAC deployments and held positions as the NATOPS Officer, the Administration Officer, and the Director of Safety and Standardization. The last four months at 3dMAW he served as the Executive Officer for Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 while they executed their BRAC move from El Toro to Miramar.
In December of 1998, he transferred to Eglin AFB for duty with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He was the Marine Corps Service Deputy Director to a Joint Test and Evaluation for Joint Close Air Support. Their team was responsible for conducting field tests with the Army and the Air Force at the National Training Center, and additionally refining the Joint Close Air Support doctrine.
After completing his staff tour in April of 2001, he returned to MAG-11 at Miramar for the F/A-18 refresher course and was subsequently reassigned to the “Bats” of VMFA(AW)-242. He served as their Aircraft Maintenance Officer, was promoted to his current rank, and became their Executive Officer. Following that, he became the MAG-11 Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) Commanding Officer. As the PSD CO, he deployed the MAG-11 staff to AL Jaber Air Base in Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom and flew combat missions during OIF-1.
Upon completion of OIF he transferred from MCAS Miramar, Calif., to assume Command of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Beaufort, S.C., in July of 2003. He held command for two years until July of 2005 and was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31 as the Executive Officer. He completed a year as the MAG-31 Executive Officer and transferred to Joint Forces Command, J-7, where he became an Observer Trainer with the Deployable Training Team at the Joint Warfighting Center.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Claude W. Arnold.
Survivors include two loving parents, Paul and Bettye Arnold of Orange Beach; two sisters, Anastasia Ferrell of Fairhope and Gretel Watts of Birmingham; two brothers, Kevin Raley of Daphne and Kip Raley of Mobile; seven nieces and nephews.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with funeral services at noon Wednesday, Oct. 10 from the chapel of Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Burial will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery. The family will receive guests after the service at Ono Commons on Ono Island in Orange Beach.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the “Jefrey M. Arnold Aubie Fund for Excellence” at Auburn University, 317 S. College St., Auburn, AL 36849. Make checks payable to the Auburn University Foundation.
