Brigadier General 
Richard M. Lake
Director, Intelligence, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps
(Biography)
 

Brigadier General Richard M. (Dick) Lake is serving as the Director of Intelligence, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.

He was commissioned in May 1977 after graduating with honors from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages. As a Lieutenant, he graduated with honors from The Basic School and served as a rifle platoon commander, intelligence officer, reconnaissance platoon commander, and infantry company executive officer during training and operational deployments in the U.S., Caribbean, northern Europe, Mediterranean, and Indian Ocean. While a Captain, he was an instructor at the Basic School and served as an intelligence officer with seagoing and forward deployed units in Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America including contingency operations in Panama as well as in joint assignments with the Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of Naval Intelligence.

As a Major, he served as an intelligence officer with 1st Marine Division (MarDiv) in both Operation DESERT STORM in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and in Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia. He also served as an intelligence instructor with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Staff Training Program and the Marine Corps University.

As a Lieutenant Colonel, he was the honor graduate of both the Norwegian Army Staff College and the Norwegian Armed Forces Staff College, served on the staff of the U.S. European command, and commanded the U.S. National Intelligence Cell, Sarejevo in Bosnia during Operations JOINT ENDEAVOR/JOINT GUARD as well as being the first commanding officer (C.O.) of the U.S. Marine Corps’ 2d Intelligence Battalion.

As a Colonel, he served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, 2d MarDiv, a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow at the U.S. Department of State’s Senior Seminar, the C.O., Headquarters Battalion, 2d MarDiv, Director of Plans and Liaison, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa conducting combating terrorism missions (Operation ENDURING FREEDOM). He then was the Chief of Staff, 2d MarDiv, and subsequently the Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer, Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit, The Citadel.

Brigadier General Lake was raised in Thailand, Illinois, Florida, and Virginia as an Army "brat." He was the honor graduate of the Defense Intelligence College where he earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence. He has a Master of Arts in Management from Central Michigan University. He is also a Western European Foreign Area Officer. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.