Marine Corps
Colonel Morina Foster was born on December 15, 1967, in Chicago Illinois. After graduating high school in October of 1985, she joined the United States Marine Corps. Colonel Foster graduated from boot camp, January 15, 1986, Parris Island, South Carolina. She received orders to Personnel Administration School (PA), Camp Pendleton, California and was assigned the military occupational specialty (MOS) of Service Record Book Clerk, (0121).
As an administrator, Colonel Foster’s first tours in the Marine Corps from 1985 – 1991 included Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Cherry Point, North Carolina and Officer Candidate School, Candidate Administration, Quantico, Va. She achieved the ranks of Corporal 1988 and Sergeant in 1991 at OCS, and was immediately re-assigned to Parris Island, South Carolina to attend Drill Instructor School.
Upon completion of a successful tour on the Drill Field, Colonel Foster received orders to Aviation Ground Support Element (AGSE), 29 Palms California. She held the billet of Administration Chief and was assigned several additional duties. In October of 1996 Colonel Foster was promoted to Staff Sergeant and hand selected as an instructor at the Sergeant’s Course, 29 Palms California. While assigned to the Sergeant’s Course, Colonel Foster attended National University and received her Associates Degree while simultaneously pursuing a Bachelor’s Degrees in Healthcare Management at Southern Illinois University.
After her tour as a Sergeant’s Course Instructor, Colonel Foster received orders to 3d Marine Air Wing, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron, Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) Okinawa, Japan. While stationed in Okinawa, Colonel Foster applied for the Meritorious Commissioning Program and was accepted to attend OCS in the fall of 1999.
Immediately after OCS and The Basic School (TBS) in October of 2000, Colonel Foster attended the Logistics Officers Course, Camp Johnson, North Carolina. Colonel Foster’s tours as an Officer include; 2d Force Service Support Group (2D FSSG), 2d Transportation Support Battalion (2d TSB), Beach and Terminal Operations (BTO) Company; during this tour she was promoted to a First Lieutenant in October 2000, Marine Version Osprey (MV-22), Fleet Introduction Team (FIT); where she was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2005, Marine Forces Command (MARFORCOM) G-4, where Colonel Foster was promoted to the rank of Major in May of 2010; Command and Staff College Quantico, VA., Joint Staff J-7 Training (JS J7), Suffolk Va., where she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in November of 2016, and Marine Corps Installations Command, GF-4, Pentagon, Arlington Va. In 2018 Colonel Foster was selected to Command Marine Detachment, Fort Lee Va. and post Command was selected to attend Pennsylvania State University for Top Level School. Post TLS Colonel Foster was assigned as the Combat Service Support
Assignments Monitor at Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Quantico Va. and currently is assigned as the Director, Defense Policy Review Initiative (DPRI). Colonel Foster currently holds an Associates in Arts from National University, a Bachelor’s Degree of Science with a concentration in Health Care Management from Southern Illinois University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management from Pennsylvania State University, and a Masters in Military Science/Studies from the Marine Corps University, Quantico Va. Additionally, she has a magnitude of education and certifications accomplished through various channels such as the Defense Acquisitions University, North Carolina State Executive Logistics Course, Penn State’s Logistics Supervisors Course and several military schools supporting tactical, operational and strategic level leadership and policies.
Colonel Foster is a lifetime member of the National Naval Officers Association since 2011 and currently is the elected USMC Service Affiliate. Affiliated with the organization since 2005, Colonel Foster has held both the title of President and Vice President of the Tidewater Chapter in the Hampton roads area.
Her personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars, and the Army Commendation Medal. She is married to Gunner Stanley L. Foster, USMC (retired) from Queens, New York. They have three daughters and one son; Dove, Ashley, Victoria and Stanley, and three grandchildren.
Captain Lakyra N. Pharms was born on 8 September 1986 in Gary, IN and achieved her B.S. in Applied Health Science from Indiana University in spring 2011. Her focus of study was Human Development and Family Studies with minors in Chemistry and Medical Science.
Captain Pharms enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in August 2006. Upon graduating from boot camp, Captain Pharms reported to Detachment Communications Company, Headquarters Battalion, 4th Marine Division in Indianapolis, Indiana and served 6 years as a 0612 Field Wireman.
In May 2008, Captain Pharms attended Officer Candidate School as a member of the Platoon Leaders Class Combined and was commissioned in April 2012. In January 2013, she reported to The Basic School where she was selected to attend the Basic Communications Officer Course in Quantico, VA.
In January 2014, Captain Pharms reported to 7th Communications Battalion, III Marine Headquarters Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan, where she served as the Transmissions Platoon Commander for Alpha Company April 2014 – November 2015 and served as Battalion S-6 for 3D Law Enforcement Battalion November 2015 – June 2016. Captain Pharms also served as the Vice President of the Okinawa Chapter of the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) throughout her time in III MEF. She currently serves as the Asst. USMC Affiliate for NNOA.
30 August 2016, Captain Pharms checked in to 4th Recruit Training Battalion and completed 10 training cycles as a Series Commander for Company P and Company O.
30 July 2019 Captain Pharms checked into Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division and served as the Executive Officer for Communications Company before taking command of the Division Headquarters Company in Feb 2020. Upon completion of the MAGTF Communication Planners Course in July 2021, she executed orders to 3D Assault Amphibian Battalion where she currently serves as the Battalion S-6 OIC. Captain Pharms also reactivated the Camp Pendleton/Miramar Chapter of NNOA where she currently serves as Chapter President, as well as the Assistant Marine Affiliate on the National Board of Directors.
Her personal awards and decorations include the Navy And Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze star, and Drill Instructor Service Ribbon. NNOA Awards include USMC Distinguished Service Award, Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Leadership Award, and the VADM Manson Brown Outstanding Chapter President Award.