Lieutenant Colonel Karin R. Hecox enlisted in the Marine Corps and attended Recruit Training at MCRD Parris Island where she was meritoriously promoted upon graduation. She then attended follow on training at Aberdeen Proving Grounds for Small Arms Repair.
LCpl Hecox’s first assignment was with Assault Amphibian School Bn in Camp Pendleton, Ca where she served. She then completed a lateral move to computer programming and served in 1st Force Service Support Group. It was during this time, SSgt Hecox was accepted into the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. She attended California State University San Marcos earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and commissioned a Second Lieutenant.
Following The Basic School, 2ndLt Hecox attended Signals Intelligence Officer Course in Dam Neck, VA. She then reported to 2d Radio Bn where she served in a variety of billets—platoon commander, company executive officer, S-3A, Operational Control Element OIC, and company commander. During her time with 2d Rad Bn, 2ndLt Hecox deployed twice in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in Fallujah and Sal Sinjar. 1stLt Hecox attended the MAGTF Intel Officer Course prior to reporting to 3d MAW G2 as the SCI Platoon Commander.
While at 3d MAW G2, Captain Hecox deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM where she served as the Regional Command (RC) Southwest LNO to Joint Task Force South in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Captain Hecox deployed to Helmand Province as 3d MAW Deputy AC/Staff G-2 for 12.1 and as the AC/S G-2 for 12.2.
After 3d MAW, she attended Expeditionary Warfare School with a follow-on assignment Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific as the Intelligence OIC.
Major Hecox then transferred to Joint Staff J3 Operations where she was assigned to J32 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operations Directorate. While there she served in the Current Operations Directorate as the CENTCOM Action Officer, followed by an assignment serving as the Executive Assistant to the J32 ISR Director. During her final year with the Joint Staff, she served as the Deputy Branch Chief for Operations in the J32 ISR Directorate.
Following her time on the Joint Staff, Major Hecox transferred to 3d Intelligence Battalion where she served as the Battalion Executive Officer. Following that, Lieutenant Colonel Hecox then served as Deputy AC/S G-2 for 1st MAW.