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Lt. Col. Nicole Bastain

Nicole Villareal Bastian

  • Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps

Biography

Nicole Villareal Bastian is from Tampa. In 2002, Nicole Villareal became one of the first two dozen women to graduate from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. While at The Citadel, she majored in Political Science, was a two-sport NCAA athlete and studied abroad in Florence, Italy, at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute. After earning her Bachelor of Arts, she attended Stetson University College of Law. Between her 2L and 3L years, she matriculated to Officer Candidates School. Following her 2004 commissioning, she completed law school in 2005, earning her Juris Doctorate. In 2006, she assessed to Fox Company at The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia.

In 2007, 1st Lt. Bastian reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island for assignment to the Depot Law Center, Headquarters and Service Battalion, followed by an assignment as the Headquarters and Service Battalion adjutant through 2009.

In 2009, Capt. Bastian became the adjutant for Marine Aircraft Group 31 at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort. While serving as an adjutant, Capt. Bastian held billets as the manpower officer, legal officer, classified materials control custodian, Casualty Affairs calls officer, education officer, protocol officer, voting officer, and deserter collection point officer.

In 2010, Capt. Bastian deployed on an Individual Augment to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa as the Global Forces Management Action Officer, J-3/5. While deployed, Capt. Bastian was selected for assignment as the Command Element French interpreter, Aide-de-Camp to BG Glasgow, U.S. Army, and the staff secretary.

Following redeployment in May 2011, Capt. Bastian reported to Recruiting Station Jacksonville as the Officer Selection officer in Tallahassee. After achieving top rankings as an Officer Selection officer, Capt. Bastian reported to Expeditionary Warfare School in July 2014, where she was a student and the class president.

Promoted to Major in April 2015, she was next assigned to the 3d Marine Division as the deputy assistant chief of Staff G-1, where she also served as the G-1 Manpower officer, G-1 Operations officer, sexual assault response coordinator, and Korean Theater of Operations Red Cell Team leader.

She served as the Senior Watch officer in Division G-3 during the mission rehearsal/exercise Ulchi-Freedom Guardian in August 2016. From September 2016 to May 2017, she served as the Future Operations officer for 4th Marine Regiment on Camp Schwab, Okinawa. As the Future Operations officer at 4th Marines, she planned mission rehearsals/exercises throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific, including the Marine Rotational Force Darwin exercises in Australia. She completed non-resident Command and Staff College and earned a Master of Arts in Leadership and Management Studies from Marshall University in 2016.

Maj. Bastian took command of Recruiting Station St. Louis in June 2017. Following her successful command tour, she reported to 1st Marine Division as the deputy assistant chief of staff G-1. Promoted to her current rank in January 2021, Lt. Col. Bastian served as the assistant chief of staff G-1 for 1st Marine Division from June 2021 to June 2022, while also teaching as a faculty advisor for Expeditionary Warfare School for the Marine Corps University College of Distance Education. Col. Bastian currently serves as the commanding officer for 8th Battalion Military Entrance Processing Command, which includes military entrance processing stations in Montgomery, Jackson, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Louisville.  

Her personal awards include a Meritorious Service medal, Joint Service Commendation medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, and an Outstanding Volunteer Service medal. In 2010, she received the II Marine Expeditionary Force Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award. In 2020, she received the Navy League Sea Service CAPT Winifred Quick Collins Award for Inspirational Leadership. She volunteers as the elected District 9 director for the Citadel Alumni Association Board of Directors. She is married to Joe Bastian and they have a 14-year-old daughter, Ava.