Lieutenant Colonel Felix Guerra III is originally from Texas and attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) on a Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship. Upon graduating from VMI with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a minor in Arabic on May 15, 2005, he commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
After completing the Basic School and Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Virginia, he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander and Rifle Company Executive Officer with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines from April 2006-September 2009. During this time, he completed a unit deployment program to Okinawa as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), where Fox Company served as Boat Company for the MEU from January 2007-January 2008.
He also deployed to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 9.1 from January-August 2009, where Fox Company participated in Operation DENY AL-QAIDA NORTH II in Sahl Sinjar, Iraq, and assumed the area of operation in Hit, Iraq, in the Western Euphrates River Valley.
In September 2009, he checked into Marine Corps Security Force Regiment in Norfolk, Virginia. He was assigned to Training Company, serving as the Assistant Close Quarters Battle Officer in Charge. He deployed to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to serve as the Guard Officer from January-March 2010. He became a platoon commander in March 2010 of Fourth Platoon, Charlie Company Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST). From April-November 2010, he deployed his platoon to Naval Support Activity Bahrain for security missions and bilateral training throughout CENTCOM. From January 2011-January 2012, he served as the Executive Officer of Charlie FAST.
After graduating from the Army's Maneuver Captain Career Course with honors, he served as a Rifle Company Commander with India Company, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines in Twentynine Palms, California, from July 2012-December 2014. From March-October 2013, he deployed India Company to the Southern Musa Qal'ah Wadi, Helmand, Afghanistan, where he was the battlespace owner in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 13.1. Additionally, he deployed India Company from May-October 2014 in support of security operations in Yemen at the United States Embassy in Sana'a and Diplomatic Transit Facility Sana'a. From December 2014-December 2015, he served in the Operations Section of 7th Marine Regiment.
He attended Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) from January 2016-June 2017 to become a Marine Corps Regional Affairs Officer (RAO). Upon graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Guerra reported to Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa in Stuttgart, Germany, serving as an Africa Regional Planner from July 2017-May 2020. He coordinated Marine Corps Theater Security Cooperation events in North and West Africa and Marine Corps Humanitarian Mine Action activities throughout the continent.
From May 2020-August 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Guerra served as the Executive Officer to 1st Battalion, 3d Marines and deployed with the battalion to Okinawa for a UDP. From August 2021-May 2022, he served as Future Operations Officer at 3d Marine Regiment, planning and conducting numerous Regimental exercises and participating in the transition to 3d Marine Littoral Regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Guerra is non-resident EWS and JPME Phase I complete. He received a Masters of Art in Security Studies from NPS, with a regional focus in the Middle East/North Africa. He also earned an academic certificate from NPS for Sub-Saharan African studies.
After graduating from NPS, he earned the 8224 additional MOS, RAO for the Middle East/North Africa. Lieutenant Colonel Guerra likewise has an 8225 additional MOS, RAO for Africa.
Lieutenant Colonel Guerra's personal awards include a Meritorious Service Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and two gold stars, a Navy Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon.