First Sergeant Ashley B. Gray is a native of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1998. He reported directly to Parris Island where he later graduated in August 1998 as a Private. He then attended his initial Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) School in Camp Johnson, NC, where he became a Motor Transport Organizational Automotive Mechanic. He was promoted to Private First Class in November 1998. Upon completing MOS school as Honor Graduate, he was meritoriously promoted to Lance Corporal on January 2, 1999.
Lance Corporal Gray checked into Headquarters and Service Company, 4th Supply Battalion Newport News, VA where he was assigned as a Motor Transport Mechanic. He was later assigned as Quality Control NCO in November 2002.
February 2003, H&S Company was activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, to provide Combat Service Support to 1st Force Service Support Group in Camp Pendleton, CA. Upon activation, Lance Corporal Gray reported to 1st Maintenance Battalion, Motor Transport Maintenance (MTM) Company, where he served as a Motor Transport Mechanic. In April-May 2003, Lance Corporal Gray attended the Advanced Logistics Vehicle System (LVS) MOS School where he completed as Honor Graduate.
He was promoted to Corporal in June 2003. When Corporal Gray returned to H&S Company in September 2003, he was placed in the S-4 platoon and assigned as a squad leader. Corporal Gray served as the Platoon Sergeant and was promoted to Sergeant in June 2004.
In January to March 2006 Sergeant Gray was the Maintenance Platoon Sergeant/Shop Chief for Combat Service Support Detachment 48, Mojave Viper 8 in Twentynine Palms, CA. He returned to H&S Company as Platoon Commander for one year and was promoted to Staff Sergeant in November 2007.
Staff Sergeant Gray assumed the billet of H&S Company Gunnery Sergeant in December 2007. He attended the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Career Course in August 2008 and graduated with the Presidents Honor Roll. In June 2009, he served as the Marine Air Ground Task Force Movement Control Center Chief for Javelin Thrust 09, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group in Hawthorne, NV and Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, CA.
Staff Sergeant Gray served as the Company Gunnery Sergeant until being mobilized in December 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 10-1. Upon mobilization, he was appointed as the General Support Motor Transport (GSMT) Company Gunnery Sergeant, Combat Logistics Regiment 15 (Forward), 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward). After deploying to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, he returned to H&S Company in November 2010 to serve as the 4th Supply Battalion Logistics Chief. In April 2011, he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant and in August 2011 he attended the Staff Non Commissioned Officer Resident Advanced Course at Quantico, VA. He graduated first in the class and was recognized as the Honor Graduate. He received an NCO Sword and a Certificate of Achievement from the Marine Corps Reserve Association.
In June 2012 Gunnery Sergeant Gray was mobilized and appointed as Platoon Sergeant/Senior Enlisted Advisor for Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 13.1 Security Cooperation Team One and 13.2 Team four. He deployed to Uganda in order to conduct Security Cooperation with the Ugandan Peoples Defense Force and to train them Infantry Tactics, Combat Engineer Skills and Logistics Operations. Upon returning to the states in 2013, he transferred to Alpha Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion. GySgt Gray served as the Headquarters Platoon Sergeant, Motor Transport Operations Chief and the Acting First Sergeant.
In April 2015 First Sergeant Gray was frocked to his current rank and moved to Baltimore, MD where he serves as the Engineer Support Company First Sergeant, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion. In July 2015 First Sergeant Gray attended the First Sergeant Course 2-15.
While serving in the Reserves, First Sergeant Gray has attended multiple annual training evolutions. To include, Combined Arms Exercise (CAX), Integrated Training Exercise (ITX), Twenty-nine Palms, CA; Express Sword, Fort Bragg, NC; Personnel Temporary Augment Program (PTAP), Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan and Quantico Viper, Quantico, VA.
First Sergeant Gray’s personal awards are the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two stars in lieu of three awards.