A Southern California native, LtCol Eric Prentice graduated from the US Naval Academy and commissioned into the Marine Corps in 2009. First assigned to 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 as a Rifle Platoon Commander and then again in 2012 as a CAAT Platoon Commander. After joining 2d Reconnaissance Battalion in 2013, he deployed with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2015 as a Force Reconnaissance Platoon Commander.
Following graduation from Expeditionary Warfare School in 2017, LtCol Prentice joined 3d Reconnaissance Battalion. Throughout this tour he served as Headquarters and Services Company Commander, Force Reconnaissance Company Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, and Battalion Operations Officer. He then returned to Quantico in 2020 to attend Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting.
From 2022 to 2025, LtCol Prentice served as an Operational Planner and Future Operations Officer for Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Bahrain, leading unit JTF-readiness exercises, interagency coordination to disrupt smuggling networks, disaster response and noncombatant evacuation planning, and crisis response operations in Israel.
LtCol Prentice then reported to the US Army War College in July 2025. Upon graduating from the Resident Education Program and the Advanced Strategic Art Program in June 2026, he returned to Okinawa to assume command of 3d Reconnaissance Battalion.
LtCol Prentice holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering; graduate certificates in China Warfighting and Advanced Strategic Art; and master’s degrees in Leadership Studies, Military Studies, Operational Studies, and Strategic Studies. He is a distinguished graduate of The Basic School, Expeditionary Warfare School, both non-resident and resident Command and Staff College, and the US Army War College.