Lieutenant Colonel Davis Gooding is a native of Richmond, Virginia. Upon graduation from Platoon Leaders Course and The Citadel in 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding received his commission then reported to The Basic School in Quantico, VA. Lieutenant Colonel Gooding graduated from Basic Officer Course and then Infantry Officer Course (2005.1). Lieutenant Colonel Gooding then reported to his first unit Company A, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines where he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Weapons Platoon Commander, and Police Transition Team Leader during consecutive combat deployments in Western Al Anbar, Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005-2007).
In 2008 Lieutenant Colonel Gooding transferred to the Selected Marine Corps Reserve and was assigned to 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (4th LAR). After graduating from LAR Leaders Course, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding was awarded the 0303 MOS. In 2008 through 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding served in Company D, 4th LAR as a Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander. In these roles, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding deployed overseas for training in support of Exercise African Lion (Morocco) and Exercise Shared Accord (South Africa).
In 2014 Lieutenant Colonel Gooding was assigned to The Basic School (IMA Detachment) where he served as an instructor in the Warfighting Department - Combine Arms & Maneuver Branch. In 2016 Lieutenant Colonel Gooding was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines for the Southern Command Security Cooperation deployment 2017.1. In 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding deployed to Honduras and served as the Honduras Security Cooperation Detachment Officer-In-Charge where he partnered with the Honduran Naval Infantry as they conducted Counter Transnational Organized Crime operations and trained indigenous forces in basic infantry & small unit tactics.
Lieutenant Colonel Gooding served as an 0570 Marine Advisor from 2018 until 2021 in Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group (MCSCG) and Marine
Corps Advisor Company A (MCAC-A). Lieutenant Colonel Gooding served in MCAC-A as the Team-III Southern Command, Training Officer.
In 2021 Lieutenant Colonel Gooding was assigned to 2D Battalion, 23D Marines where he served as the Battalion Executive Officer. In 2022 after promotion to his present rank, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding again reported to MCAC-A where he served as the Operations Officer for Team-II, responsible for security cooperation exercise planning & execution throughout Europe and North Africa.
Lieutenant Colonel was selected to assume command of 2D Battalion, 23D Marines in December of 2023. Lieutenant Colonel Gooding’s personal military awards include Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat “V”, and Combat Action Ribbon.
In his civilian role, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding has been a police officer in central Virginia since 2008. As such, Lieutenant Colonel Gooding
currently serves as a Virginia State Police - Special Agent assigned to the ATF Central Virginia Federal Violent Crime Reduction Task Force.