CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force, Lt. Gen. Lewis A. Craparotta, will relinquish command to Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman during a change of command ceremony July 30 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.  
 
Craparotta is a native of Connecticut and a graduate of the University of Vermont, class of 1982. Since commissioning in the Marine Corps in 1983, he has attended the Amphibious Warfare School, Armed Forces Staff College, Army Command and General Staff College and the Naval War College. Past commands held include commanding general, 2nd Marine Division (Forward) during Operation Enduring Freedom; commanding officer, 1st Marine Regiment; and commanding officer, Regimental Combat Team 1 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Craparotta assumed command of I MEF in July 2016.
 
Osterman most recently served as the deputy commander, United States Special Operations Command. Prior to that, he served as commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command; commanding general, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, commanding general, 1st Marine Division (Forward); and director of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School. 
 
Media interested in attending should contact the I MEF Communication Strategy and Operations office at 760-763-7047 or email imefcommstrat@usmc.mil to RSVP no later than 12 p.m. Friday, July 27. Please provide your full name, agency and contact information in the RSVP. Members of the media will receive follow-on instructions regarding where to meet CommStrat representatives to be escorted to the event.
 
I MEF provides the Marine Corps a globally responsive, expeditionary and fully scalable Marine Air Ground Task Force, capable of generating, deploying and employing ready forces and formations for crisis response, forward presence, major combat operations and campaigns. I MEF is comprised of more than 50,000 Marines and Sailors who make I MEF “the World’s Finest Expeditionary Force.”