An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Marines


Biography

 

Master Sergeant Jeffrey L. Crane
Senior Enlisted Advisor
Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 4

Master Sergeant Jeffrey L. Crane is originally from Palm Coast, Florida where he graduated from Flagler Palm Coast High School in 2000. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program in July 1999 and attended recruit training in July 2000 aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon graduation from recruit training, he attended the School of Infantry, Camp Geiger, North Carolina for Marine Combat Training followed by Avionics Technician Common Core and Intermediate Level Avionics Technician schools aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Upon graduation, Lance Corporal Crane reported to Marine Detachment Keesler, Biloxi, Mississippi to attend the General Purpose Electronic Test and Measurement Equipment and Physical and Dimensional schools. 

In May 2002, Lance Corporal Crane graduated and received orders to his first duty station, 2nd MAW, MAG-14, MALS-14 MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. Six months after attaching to his first squadron, Lance Corporal Crane attended the resident Corporals Course and finished third in class. In January 2003, Lance Corporal Crane volunteered to be augmented to VMAQ-3 to participate in a Unit Deployment Program to 1st MAW, MAG-12, MALS-12, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. In July 2003, Lance Corporal Crane was promoted to corporal, returned to MALS-14, and earned his Collateral Duty Inspector (CDI) qualification while serving as the Field Calibration Activity’s (FCA) Production Control Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge. In August 2004, Corporal Crane volunteered for a Weapons and Tactics Instructor support augmentation as the FCA CDI and later reenlisted in September 2004 with orders to recruiting duty as his incentive. 

In July 2005, Corporal Crane was promoted to sergeant and simultaneously executed orders to the Basic Recruiter School aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. In August 2005, Sergeant Crane received orders to Recruiting Station Jacksonville, Florida, Recruiting Sub Station Gainesville, Florida for duty as an 8411 Recruiter. In July 2007, Sergeant Crane was meritoriously promoted to staff sergeant and immediately filled the billet as Recruiting Sub Station Gainesville Assistance Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge. During his tour, Staff Sergeant Crane enlisted 85 applicants and received several command and district awards to include a meritorious Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. 

In October 2008, Staff Sergeant Crane received orders to Marine Detachment Keesler, Biloxi, Mississippi to serve as an instructor for the Advanced Calibration Technician School. During his instructor duty tour, Staff Sergeant Crane served as the lead instructor for the course curriculum revision, the command’s Career Retention Specialist (CRS), and the Marine Corps Ball Coordinator for both calibration schoolhouses. Staff Sergeant Crane’s efforts with the course curriculum revision resulted in the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) Unit Keesler being the first CNATT command to implement the new course curriculum. During his time as the command’s CRS, Staff Sergeant Crane was subject to a Commanding General's Readiness Inspection and received a by-name mention for receiving flawless inspection results. Upon the completion of his tour, Staff Sergeant Crane taught over 1,200 classroom hours to Navy, Marine Corps, foreign military officers, and civilians with a zero attrition rate. Staff Sergeant Crane also helped retain 20 Marines and raised 45,000 dollars in Marine Corps Ball funds. Staff Sergeant Crane received a meritorious Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his efforts with the course curriculum revision and a transfer Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his efforts instructing, and Marine Corps Ball coordination. 

In February 2012, Staff Sergeant Crane received orders to 3rd MAW, MAG-39, MALS-39, Camp Pendleton and executed orders in August to MALS-40, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan to serve as the Metrology and Calibration (METCAL) Program Manager for MALS-16 (FWD) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 12.2 from August 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013. Staff Sergeant Crane configured his manpower to maximize expertise brought from various type model series platforms. This contributed to the FCA achieving a readiness rate of 96.8 percent which surpassed the Naval Air Systems Command goal of 90 percent. His efforts also resulted in the FCA winning the Outstanding Activity Award twice and leading the Fleet Marine Force’s Calibration Laboratories in readiness. Staff Sergeant Crane received a meritorious Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for the development of the FCA Marines and their efforts in the completion of 2,166 maintenance actions compiled of 3,846 man-hours to sustain 2,168 test equipment items. In February 2013 Staff Sergeant Crane retrograded from deployment and served as a Production Controller and Broad Arrow Coordinator for MALS-39 from February to July 2013. In August 2013, Staff Sergeant Crane was promoted to gunnery sergeant and received orders to 3rd MAW, MAG-11, MALS-11, MCAS Miramar to serve as the METCAL Program Manager for MAG-11. 

In April 2014, Gunnery Sergeant Crane was reassigned to 3rd MAW, MWHS-3, ALD, MCAS Miramar as the Wing Calibration Coordinator. During his tour, he advised the Wing Avionics Officer on calibration matters and coordinated efforts between higher headquarters and subordinate units on calibration readiness, broad arrow processes, and assisted the Aviation Logistics Management Assist Team with their duties by leading the METCAL Program inspections. For his efforts which included staffing, training, and inventory control that resulted in an increased readiness rate of 90.44 percent for 14,045 items, Gunnery Sergeant Crane received a transfer Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. 

In December 2015, Gunnery Sergeant Crane received orders to 2nd MAW, MAG-26, MALS-26, MCAS New River to serve as the METCAL Program Manager for MAG-26. During Fiscal Year 2016, he reduced throughput delays in the maintenance, calibration, and parts requisitioning processes within the FCA resulting in a 13 percent calibration readiness increase for MAG-26 to include a 4.28 percent decrease of overdue assets for calibration in the first five months as the program manager; resulting in the FCA continuously having the highest calibration readiness in the Marine Corps for the remainder of the fiscal year. He was able to obtain 300 additional allocated hours for assets valued at 1.2 million dollars that required depot calibration, which was not previously designated for his FCA, and supervised the movement, shipment, and return of 399 depot level calibration assets in support of MAG 26. The FCA maintained a calibration readiness rate that led the fleet and placed them within the top 10 Calibration Laboratories within the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) for the following years. Gunnery Sergeant Crane was submitted for a meritorious Navy Commendation medal for his improvement efforts. 

In October 2016, Gunnery Sergeant Crane volunteered for the MALS-26’s Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Chief Billet. During this assignment, Gunnery Sergeant Crane achieved the NAE Lean Six Sigma Black Belt curriculum and earned the Practitioner certification by leading multiple events and mentoring six trained Green Belt personnel through accreditation. As a Certified Green Belt, Gunnery Sergeant Crane mentored 10 events during the fiscal year which equated to 29 percent of the completed events for the squadron since the inception of the CPI program in 2008. His efforts led to process improvements and an overall cost savings and cost avoidance of over 800,000 dollars, a 400 percent increase in trained Green Belts, and a 500 percent increase in completed events. 

In January 2018, Gunnery Sergeant Crane was selected to fill a short fuse independent augment billet as the II Marine Expeditionary Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Command Element Antiterrorism and Force Protection Chief. While underway, Gunnery Sergeant Crane briefed the MEU Commander and Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG) Commodore on force protection measures, physical security, anti-terrorism issues, and threat assessment conditions for all ARG-MEU deployment exercises. He also ensured the 26th MEU met area force protection standards for 5th and 6th Fleets while assisting the LHD-7 Security Officer, Ordnance Officer, and Major Subordinate Element lead personnel in coordinating MEU personnel to support the Defense of the Amphibious Task Force posture during all strait transits. Gunnery Sergeant Crane served as the 26th MEU Watch Chief in the Landing Force Operations Center and took the lead on the 26th MEU daily Situational Reports submissions to higher headquarters. Gunnery Sergeant Crane also coordinated with the LHD-7's Master of Arms to formulate and integrate liberty and shore patrol plans during liberty port visits. Gunnery Sergeant Crane received a meritorious Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his efforts in supporting multiple exercises and transits. 

In December 2018, Gunnery Sergeant Crane was selected to master sergeant and promoted to his current rank in January 2019. Master Sergeant Crane remained in place at his current unit for six months due to his gaining unit supporting Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response 20.2. In July 2019, Master Sergeant Crane executed orders to 2nd MAW, MAG-26, VMM-266, MCAS New River to serve as the Avionics Chief and supported the first Service Level Training Event, formally known as Integrated Training Exercise, as the Communication Security Material System (CMS) Program manager six weeks after attaching to the squadron. 

In June 2020, Master Sergeant Crane served as the senior Maintenance Department Staff Non-Commissioned Officer and led a detachment of 12 Avionics Marines to Combat Readiness Training Center Alpena, Michigan, which served as the squadron’s certification for deployment. In September 2020, he led the Avionics Division during the North and West Africa Response Force 21.1 deployment, formally known as the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Force, serving as the Avionics Division Chief and CMS Primary Custodian. He coordinated efforts between Marine Forces Europe and Africa, MAG-26, VMM-266, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 Communications Detachment, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 Detachment, Naval Computer & Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic – Detachment Rota Naval Base, and MCE Sigonella in support of several full mission profile missions supporting area of operations missions. 
In April 2021, Master Sergeant Crane received orders to 4th MAW, MAG-41, VMU-4, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to serves as the Senior Enlisted Advisor, Aircraft Maintenance Chief, and Avionics Chief. 

Master Sergeant Crane’s education includes a Master of Science in Management specializing in Project Management, a Bachelor’s of Science in Technical Management minoring in Human Resources, a National Security Agency Certificate of Completion in Computer and Information Systems Security and Information Assurance from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 

Master Sergeant Crane’s certifications include a Naval Aviation Enterprise Lean Six Sigma Practitioner, Department of Labor Apprenticeships as a Calibration Laboratory Technician and Computer Operations, and an American Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Instructor. 

Master Sergeant Crane’s decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals with a silver star in lieu of the 6th award.