NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Candice D. Creecy took command of 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, May 4, 2024.

Creecy, a native of Colorado, is the first ANGLICO female commanding officer in Marine Corps history. ANGLICO is a specialized unit within the Marine Corps that provides the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander with a liaison capability and ability to plan, coordinate, and employ multi-domain fires and effects in support of joint, allied and partnered forces.

"My father retired after 20 plus years of service in the United States Air Force as a flight mechanic," said Creecy. "... as I watched the twin towers fall on 9/11, anything besides service to my country was no longer an option. After graduating college, I knew that I was going to follow in my father's footsteps."

In observance of this historic milestone the family, friends and Marines of 6th ANGLICO gathered to bear witness and celebrate the change of command ceremony.

"I have trained alongside the Marines of 6th ANGLICO and fully understand the amount of talent and capability that our unit has. Many of the SNCOs have been with 6th ANGLICO since its inception in 2013 and have carried this unit on their backs through multiple combat deployments... The mission is incredibly significant and prescient," said Creecy. "I am ready to move beyond the excitement of the initial appointment and get to work."

U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Raymond L. Adams, commanding general, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, has found Creecy to be a "stand out" since the beginning of her Marine Corps career.

"I personally recruited her from the 6th ANGLICO operations officer position to be the operations officer for Force Headquarters Group, because I was so impressed with her capabilities with 6th ANGLICO," said Adams. "She's got the right skills, the right background, and all the capabilities we expect and desire to see in our commanders."

Adams says there is a large pool of military occupational specialties that fall under the ANGLICO command, making it one of the most difficult commands to be selected for.

"She was not selected because she was a female, she was selected because she is the most qualified officer to lead ANGLICO," said Adams.

Creecy, an F/A-18 weapons system officer, had prior experience with 6th ANGLICO over multiple roles including JTAC-evaluator, brigade air officer, brigade platoon commander and operations officer. She graduated the Expeditionary Warfare School and Command and Staff College. Additionally, she has a Master of Medical Science from Wake Forest School of Medicine and a Master of Business Administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She currently works as an emergency medicine physician assistant and consultant in Boston.

"This is a milestone in history of Marine Corps ANGLICO," said Adams. "She is a very powerful role model for the women in the Marine Corps, being the first female commander of ANGLICO."

"I am so cognizant of the importance of this milestone, it is the culmination of the advocacy and work of many that have come before me ... I am the benefactor of their determination and persistence to change policy and allow the opportunity for women to enter service in a combat designated role, attend specialized training, and join combat units previously closed to women ... I am honored to be the first and I will ensure I am not the last," said Creecy.

"That being said, I do not want my legacy as commanding officer of 6th ANGLICO to be solely focused on this pivotal milestone," said Creecy. "I am a Marine. This title does not differentiate between male or female, reservist or active duty, enlisted or officer, ground or aviation. We are Marines. No better friend, no worse enemy."