2d Battalion 23d Marines 

Maj Sun was assigned to the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, MCRD San Diego from 2001 to 2004.  He served in the billet of Defense Counsel, Legal Assistance Attorney, and Officer In Charge of the base tax center. 

While at MCRD San Diego, Maj Sun volunteered for duty as a series commander in recruit training.  He was assigned to Company M, 3d Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment.  He then assumed company command of Company I, 3d Bn, RTR.  

Major Sun joined Company G, 2d Battalion, 23d Marines in November of 2004.  He served as platoon commander for 2nd Platoon, Company G from November 2004 to January 2008.  He led the platoon in all aspects of training, from platoon live fire and maneuver to leading the advance guard on a company movement to contact.  He has also acted as an RSO and OIC for multiple static and live fire and maneuver ranges.

Maj Sun participated in both African Lion 2005 in Tan Tan, Morocco, and Sea Breeze 2007 in Shiroki Lan, Ukraine.  During African Lion, Maj Sun was the platoon commander for the only rifle platoon attached to Weapons Co, 2/23.  He helped train members of the Royal Moroccan Army in basic infantry skills ranging from weapons handling to patrolling to squad/platoon deliberate attacks.  The platoon also participated in a live-fire, combined arms exercise wherein the platoon was the dismounted infantry element of a mechanized attack by both US and Moroccan forces.

At Sea Breeze, Maj Sun was the acting company executive officer.  The exercise involved naval and land forces from the Ukraine, Germany, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Armenia, and the United States.  He was responsible for planning and executing training for these units in MOUT, VCP/ECP, weapons familiarization, and patrolling.

He was also paired with a company executive officer with the Ukrainian Marines throughout the exercise.  Maj Sun was responsible for making liaison with the Ukrainians, providing advice and recommendations on Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, and developing joint American and Ukrainian training evolutions.  During the final exercise, Maj Sun was the acting company commander of a motorized, multinational force composed of Ukrainian and US Marines during a battalion attack on multiple objectives.   

Maj Sun served as the company executive officer for Company G, 2/23 from January 2008 to February 2009.  He was responsible for developing, planning, and supervising the company’s training plan in preparation for deployment to Iraq.  He planned and executed such training evolutions as live fire and maneuver ranges, patrol exercises, BUST, MOUT, and mounted operations.  He was also been responsible for implementing and maintaining the individual accounting for the battalion’s Pre-deployment Training Program.   

Maj Sun volunteered for assignment as team chief for the 28th Brigade Military Transition Team, 7th Iraqi Army Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in February of 2009.  The team was deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom from June to December of 2009.  He led a team of over 30 Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers responsible for training, advising, and mentoring officers and senior enlisted of the 28th Bde, 7th IA. 

Maj Sun developed the team’s program for assessing brigade staff function capabilities/shortfalls and developed advisor plan focusing on Iraqi Security Force professionalization and continued development of rule of law.  The team facilitated several ISF Civil Military Operations and implemented ISF training that included mortar gunnery, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Sensitive Site Exploitation, and Enhanced Marksmanship Program.  The team was also responsible for influencing ISF to target and conduct source operations, resulting in the arrest and conviction of HVI #1 for the Al Qaim District.