On Thursday, March 6, 2017 in Gallium Auditorium in Gooch Hall, Lt. Gen. John Castellaw spoke to UTM students as part of International Week.
Castellaw was invited to speak by Dr. Malcolm Koch, UTM lecturer of political science. As part of his presentation he spoke of many stories that happened during his time as a marine.
Castellaw, a West Tennessee native, was a 1972 UTM agriculture graduate. He joined the Marine Corps upon graduation. This decision provided him opportunities to travel all around the globe during his time as a Marine.
He retired after 38 years of service in the Marine Corps, during which he flew over two dozen different aircrafts. He has been deployed to the Mediterranean, Middle East and Western Pacific. Castellaw also served in Europe, Hawaii, Florida, Texas, the Asia-Pacific, Africa and in the mid-90’s, Bosnia. He served two tours in the Marine Corps Department of Aviation Headquarters as an officer along with two different Marine Aircraft groups.
Castellaw has been through numerous assignments, including taking part in the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the siege of Sarajevo and taking command of a U.S. joint force in a multi-national security and stability operation in East Timor. He also served as chief of staff for the U.S. Central Command during the Iraq War.
Castellaw attended the Amphibious Warfare School, NATO Defense College, Montgomery Maxwell Airforce School and the Armed Forces Staff College. He graduated from the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course as a CH-46 pilot and received his masters from the American Military University in military studies.
