Charles Mark Gurganus graduated from the University of North Carolina and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in May 1976.

Military Career

Upon completion of The Basic School, he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander and Company Executive Officer in 2d Battalion, 1st Marines (1977-1979).

Operational assignments during his career have included serving as Assistant Operations Officer, Rifle Company Commander, and Weapons Company Commander with 3d Battalion, 6th Marines (1984-1987); Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines and G-7, 2d Marine Division (1995-1997); G-3 Current Operations Officer, III Marine Expeditionary Force (2001-2002); Deputy Commander, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2002-2003); Commanding Officer, 8th Marine Regiment (2003-2005); Commanding Officer, Regimental Combat Team 8 (March 2005-August 2005) in Al Anbar Province, Iraq; Operations Officer, 2d Marine Division; Assistant Division Commander, 2d Marine Division (2006-2008).

His other duties included serving as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer, Marine Detachment, USS America (CV-66)(1979-1981); Aide de Camp to CG, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC (1981-1982); Company Commander at the Infantry Training School (1982-1983); Depot Training Officer, OIC of the Field Training Unit, and Operations Officer of Support Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. (1987-1990); OCS Company Commander (1990); and MAGTF Staff Training Program Instructor (1992-1995). Joint assignments have included Chief, Deployable Training Team, Joint Warfighting Center, U.S. Joint Forces command (1998-2001).

Guranus commanded troops in Anbar Province in Iraq in various capacities from 2005-2008. From 2010-2011, he was Commander, US Marine Corps Forces Korea and U/C/J-5 (Strategy) of United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea (2009-2011) at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, South Korea.

Forced Retirement

In September 2012, MajGen Charles M. Gurganus was the Commanding General of Regional Command Southwest and I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) based at Camp Pendleton, CA, and currently deployed in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His command area included the Camp Bastion/Leatherneck Complex. In an attack on Camp Bastion by 15 Taliban fighters on 14-15 September 2012, two US service members, Lt. Col. Christopher Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell, were killed by enemy rocket fire and eight others were wounded. Raible was the commander of the Harrier squadron attached to the base. The entire Harrier squadron of six aircraft was destroyed as a result of the raid, making the attack the largest hit on US airpower since the Vietnam War. In addition to the loss of life, the destroyed Harrier jets were valued at $200 million - making it one of the most expensive attacks of the war, as well.

Following that attack, MajGen Gurganus and MajGen Glenn A. Sturdevant (Honoree Record ID 218579), Commanding General, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) and Commanding General, Camp Bastion/Leatherneck Complex, became the subjects of several investigations, as well as a review by the U.S. Central Command, into accountability for the attack. The negligence charges included the fact that some of the guard towers at the base were manned by dummies.

On 30 September 2013, Gen James F. Amos, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, asked both MajGen Sturdevant and MajGen Charles M. Gurganus, to retire. A statement from the Marine Corps said Gurganus "bore final accountability for the lives and equipment under his charge," and that he "made an error in judgment when conducting his risk assessment of the enemy's capabilities and intentions." The statement went on to say that Sturdevant "did not adequately assess the force protection situation" at Bastion Airfield. MajGen Gregg Sturdevant will also receive a Secretary of the Navy Letter of Censure. Both officers complied with the request and will be retired honorably and with full benefits.

Some unnamed personnel in the Defense Department have said the two generals have not been punished enough, noting that a non-general, lower-ranking individual would likely have been court-martialed. One senior U.S. defense official told NBC News that Gurganus' punishment does not go far enough, and that if Gurganus was not a general he would have faced a court martial, and not been allowed to retire with full benefits. "Marines are dead and six aircraft were destroyed. A Lance Corporal would fry for a lot less than that," the official said.

Prior to the investigation, MajGen Gurgnanus had been nominated for a third star and appointment as Marine Corps Chief of Staff at the Pentagon. Both the promotion to lieutenant general and the appointment have now been rescinded.

After Gen Amos’s announcement, Gurganus issued a brief statement saying he felt privileged to have served in the Marine Corps for 37 years. “I will treasure that forever. I have complete trust and confidence in the leadership of our Corps and fully respect the decision of our Commandant.”

Medals and Awards Include:

Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with Combat Valor Device (2 Awards)
Meritorious Service Medal (3 Awards)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon