Major Yicheng S. Garrard is a native of Sierra Vista, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Chinese Studies. He commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 2012.
Major Garrard reported to The Basic School in May 2013. Upon graduation in November 2013, he reported to Basic Communications Officer Course, graduating in July 2014. Afterwards, he reported to 1st Reconnaissance Battalion as the battalion S-6A before assuming duties as the battalion S-6 officer. From 2016-2017, he deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq as the future operations officer and maneuver advisor for Task Force Al-Asad 17.1 in support of OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE, advising and assisting 7th Infantry Division, Iraqi Army in combat operations against the Islamic State. Upon return, he served as the G-6 plans officer at 1st Marine Division.
In June 2018, he reported to Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA for training as a Northeast Asia Foreign Area Officer, earning a Master of Arts in Security Studies with a concentration on East Asia and the Indo-Pacific. Afterwards, he reported to Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, CA, graduating with highest honors and earning an Associate of Arts in Japanese. For the final phase of training, he reported to US Embassy, Tokyo in April 2021 to conduct in-region training, focusing on interagency processes, joint and partner nation integration, large scale exercises, security cooperation, and language and cultural immersion.
In April 2022, he was promoted to his current rank and assumed duties as Executive Officer, 1st Network Battalion, where he currently serves.
He has certified professional working proficiency in both Japanese and Chinese-Mandarin and holds the following additional military occupational specialties: 8243 – NE Asia Foreign Area Officer, 2737 – Chinese-Mandarin Linguist, 2739 – Japanese Linguist, and 0571 – Operational Advisor.
Major Garrard’s personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.