GySgt Sergeant Neil Loaiza is a native of Alexandria Virginia and enlisted in the Marine Corps in April of 2004. Upon graduation of recruit training in November of 2004 and then Marine Combat Training in March of 2005, he received orders to the Naval School of Music. While there, he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal and after graduating the School of Music in September of 2005, Lance Corporal Loaiza was then transferred to the 2nd Marine Division Band Camp Lejeune North Carolina where he served as Saxophone instrumentalist, Supply Clerk, and Fiscal Clerk and was promoted to the rank of Corporal in May of 2006.
As a Corporal, he was assigned a Fire Team and served as the Supply NCOIC and Fiscal NCOIC. In February of 2007, the Band attached to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Camp Fallujah, Iraq, where he served as a watch stander for the main entry control point. Corporal Loaiza returned to Camp Lejeune in September of 2007 and assumed duties as the Assistant Section Leader, Hazardous/Safety NCOIC, Fiscal NCOIC, and Small Ensemble Leader for the Saxophone Quartet. In September of 2008, Corporal Loaiza was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned a squad.
In April of 2009 he was transferred to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego where throughout his time there he served in many key billets within the unit to include Fire Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Guide, Assistant Saxophone Section Leader, Saxophone Section Leader, Woodwind Quintet Ensemble Leader, Supply NCOIC, Hazardous/Safety Coordinator, Fire Warden, Defense Travel System SNCOIC, and Assistant Instrument Repair Technician. In September of 2012, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and in October of 2013 he graduated the Career Course at Camp Pendleton. In February of 2014, Staff Sergeant Loaiza completed the National Defense University’s Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course and was transferred to 1st Marine Division Band, Camp Pendleton, California. While assigned to 1st Marine Division Band he served as the Instrument Repair Technician, Platoon Sergeant, and Saxophone Section Leader.
In February of 2016, he was transferred to III Marine Expeditionary Force Band to serve as Platoon Sergeant, Assistant Instrument Repair Technician, and Saxophone Section Leader. In February of 2017, he was deployed to Camp Lemonnier as the CJ-7 Range Coordinator for the Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa. In July of 2018 he was promoted to his current rank and selected for the 5523 MOS of Instrument Repair Technician.
Upon selection, he was sent to Minnesota State Southeast Technical Community College to complete training for the 5523 MOS and graduated with high honors and an Associates in Applied Science. After Graduation, he was transferred once again to the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band in Okinawa Japan to serve as the Units Instrument Repair Technician. While stationed there, he completed the Joint Humanitarian Operations Course in addition to graduating the Advanced School Seminar in June of 2022 before being transferred to his current unit, 2D Marine Aircraft Wing Band in July of 2022.
In addition to his primary Military Occupational Specialty of 5523, Gunnery Sergeant Loaiza also has a Hazardous Materials Officer 8056, Safety Officer 8012, and Fire Warden certification. Gunnery Sergeant Loaiza’s personal awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (4th Award), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd Award), and the Good Conduct Achievement Medal (5th Award).