Our forty-eighth recipient, Colonel Madeline M. “Michelle” Melendez is currently attending the 2024 AMP at Harvard Business School and serves as Director, Marine House Legislative Liaison, Office of Legislative Affairs.  A Logistics Officer by trade, she served in a variety of assignments and executed multiple deployments as a platoon commander while assigned in III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan from 2001-2004.  Subsequently, she served in Marine Wing Aviation Support Group 37 and Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, under 3d Marine Aircraft Wing from 2004-2007, and deployed as a Company Commander in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Michelle then served within 1st Marine Logistics Group as a Regimental Operations Officer and Battalion Operations Officer, deploying as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit supporting operations in INDOPACOM and CENTCOM.  From 2020-2022, she served as the Commanding Officer of I Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, I Marine Information Group.  From 2022-2023, Michelle served as the senior Marine fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.  Her staff assignments include Tactical Logistics Instructor, Tactical Training and Exercise Support Group, Plans Officer, Special Projects Directorate under Director Marine Corps Staff, Inspector General, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and Operations Officer, G4, I Marine Expeditionary Force.  Michelle hails from Grapevine, TX, and received a commission from the United States Naval Academy with a BS in English.  She is a graduate of the Logistics Officer Course, Tactical Logistics Officer Course, Maritime Prepositioning Forces Course, Marine Aviation Tactics and Weapons Aviation Ground Support Course, Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College and holds a Master’s degree in Military Studies.

Michelle is married to Colonel Marcos Melendez, and they have two daughters.