Colonel Armando A. Freire is a native of Guayaquil, Ecuador. He enlisted in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) in 1989. In 1990, he graduated from boot camp as Platoon Honor man and was meritoriously promoted to Private First Class.
Colonel Freire was assigned to Weapons Company 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines Port Hueneme, CA and was involuntary mobilized in November 1990 to support Operation Desert Storm/Shield. After deactivation in August 1991, Colonel Freire transferred to Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 472 at MCAS El Toro.
Colonel Freire graduated from California State University Los Angeles in 1995 with a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice, subsequently attended Officer Candidate Course in October 1995, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in December 1995. Upon graduation from The Basic School in 1996, Colonel Freire reported to NAS Pensacola, Florida to attend the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Officer Course.
Colonel Freire’s assignments include ATC Watch Officer Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Detachment (Det) B, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan; Assistant Operations Officer Marine Air Control Group 38, MCAS El Toro, California; ATC OIC Expeditionary Airfield/Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, Marine Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, California.
Colonel Freire was in the SMCR (2000-2005), his assignments include Platoon Commander/Battery Executive Officer 4th Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion Pasadena, California; was involuntary mobilized in (2004-2005) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assistant Operations Officer/Assistant Bearmat Range Control Officer/Airspace Manager, Operations & Training MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, California; Commanding Officer, Company A, Headquarters Battalion, MCAGCC; and Operations Officer Marine Air Support Squadron 6 Det-A, MCAS Miramar, California.
Colonel Freire joined the Active Reserve program in 2006 and changed his MOS to Aviation Supply Officer 6602. His assignments include Aviation Supply Officer Marine Aircraft Group 46 Det-A MCAS Camp Pendleton, California; Operations Officer Wounded Warrior Battalion West MCB Camp Pendleton, California; Action Officer HQMC Manpower Plans & Policy Division (MP Division) Manpower & Reserve Affairs served as MPO-60 Mobilization/Military Policy Analyst; J15 Chief Manpower Plans & Operations (Joint-Billet) Marine Desk Officer United States Southern Command Miami, Florida; Executive Officer Deployment Processing Command/Reserve Support Unit-West Camp Pendleton, California; and Assistant Chief of Staff G-9 (Capabilities, Requirements and Assessments), Command Inspector General (CIG) and Senior Reserve Integrator for Fleet Marine Force Atlantic/Marine Forces Command/Marine Forces Northern Command.
Colonel Freire was promoted to his present rank December 2019 and will be taking command of Deployment Processing Command/Reserve Support Unit – East, Camp Lejeune NC, in July 2022.
Colonel Freire is a graduate of the Air Force Command & Staff College, Joint Forces Staff College JPME-2 and is a Joint Qualified Officer AMOS 9702.
Colonel Freire served as a Police Officer for the City of Santa Monica, California and was a certified Polygraph Examiner. Personal decorations include Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star in lieu of second award.