Master Gunnery Sgt. Devon Van currently serves as enlisted bandleader with the 1st Marine Division Band. In this capacity he is the senior enlisted advisor and Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (SNCOIC) of the band. He serves as the band’s primary point-of-contact for inquiries and requests for band performances and advises the director in developing the musical proficiency of the band and in planning and supervising all training, operations, and administrative duties within the band.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Van enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1995 and completed Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California and Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton, California. He completed the Basic Music Course in 1996 at the Armed Forces School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Van served as a tuba instrumentalist in the following fleet Marine bands: Paris Island Marine Band (1996-1998); III Marine Expeditionary Force Band (1998-1999); Albany Marine Band (2003-2005); and the 1st Marine Division Band (2006-2008). Master Gunnery Sgt. Van served as the drum major in the following fleet Marine bands: Paris Island Marine Band (2008-2011); Marine Band San Diego (2011-2015); and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band (2018-2019). As do all fleet Marine musicians, Master Gunnery Sgt. Van served in a variety of music, collateral duty, and leadership roles, to include platoon leadership.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Van deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2007). From 2015-2018, he served as a recruiter with Recruiting Station St. Louis.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Van was promoted to Master Gunnery Sgt. in 2023 and served as the enlisted bandleader of the following fleet Marine bands: 1st Marine Division Band (2019-2022) and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band (2022-2024).
Master Gunnery Sgt. Van attended the Unit Leader Course (2005) and is a graduate of the E8 Western Regional Seminar (2020). His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3rd Award) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4th Award).