First Sergeant Justin Cuomo is a native of Long Island, New York. He enlisted and entered the United States Marine Corps on 8 June 1993 and underwent recruit training with 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon completion of recruit training, then Private First Class Cuomo attended Marine Combat Training where he was meritoriously promoted to Lance Corporal. After attending Marine Corps Engineer SChool, Cuorthouse Bay, Lance Corpoal Cuomo was assigned to Landing Support Company, 3rd Brigade Service Support Group, 3rd Marine Regiment, Marine Corps Base, Hawaii.
In April, 1995, Lance Corporal Cuomo attended Jungle Warfare School. Promoted to Corporal in May of 1995, he attended the Infantry Combat Squad Leaders Course. in April of 1996, Corporal Cuomo was screened and selected for the Marine Security Guard (MSG) program. Graduating MSG School in June of 1996, Corporal Cuomo guarded the U.S. Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados, as well as the United State Interests Section, Havana Cuba, where he was promoted to Sergeant in May, 1997. Follow-on posts included the American Embassy Madrid Spain, and Algiers, Algeria. Sergeant Cuomo then exited the Marine Corps in 1999.
In April of 2003, Then Sergeant Cuomo reentered the Reserve component, redesignating to MOS 0352, Anti-Tank Guided Missileman. Assigned to Company D, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Quantico, Virginia. Sergeant Cuomo transitioned to 0311 as a company scout section leader, eventually becoming the Company master scout.
In March 2008, Sergeant Cuomo attached to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom with Regimental Combat Team 5, along the Iraqi/Syrian border. in May of 2008, Sergeant Cuomo was promoted to Staff Sergeant. After returning from deployment, Staff Sergeant Cuomo again exited the Marine Corps after a family tragedy in 2009.
In 2013, Staff Sergeant Cuomo reentered the Marine Corps Reserve, serving as the Team Commander for the Marine Corps Base Quantico Special Reaction Team from 2014-2016 on Active-Duty Operational Support (ADOS) Orders. Following that assignment, Staff Sergeant Cuomo joined the Marine Corps National Capital Region Command (MCNCRC) Individual Mobilization Detachment (IMA Det) as the Operations Chief, managing the Marine Corps component to Joint Force Headquarters, Washington DC (JFQH-DC), and Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR).
Staff Sergeant Cuomo was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in August of 2018. In December, 2018 he served as the Marine Corps' Operations Chief for the State Funeral of Former President George H. W. Bush as part of the service component to JTF-NCR. In March of 2020, Gunnery Sergeant Cuomo was mobilized in support of COVID-19 mitigation and assigned to stand up an Emergency Operations Center at Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM) as well as providing Service support to JTF-NCR.
In June of 2020, Gunnery Sergeant Served as the Service Operations Chief to JTF-NCR during the civil disturbances in Washington D.C. and again on January 6, 2021 in response to the incursion at the U.S. Capitol. Gunnery Sergeant Cuomo was promoted to his current rank of First Sergeant in November 2022, and assumed his responsibilities as the Company First Sergeant for Carlos Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, Corpus Christi, Texas in January, 2023.
First Sergeant Cuomo's personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy, Marine Corps Achievement Medal (gold stars in lieu of fourth award), the Army Achievement Medal and the Navy/Marine Corps parachutists insignia.