Aaron Lloyd

About Aaron Lloyd

Ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.” -Jewish Proverb The pursuit of my passion – leadership and the achievement of excellence - drives me every day. The way those things are accomplished matters. Reaching those goals alone is only half the battle – instead, ensuring that the entire team realizes the value of their inputs to the journey toward our goals makes me work harder every day. The contributions of the team make the endstate that much better. I’ve been working on being a better leader, coach, mentor, and partner for decades. What that path has taught me is that we’re never truly done in developing our leadership style. There is always more to learn. There is always another way to get to “yes.” There is always someone out there that can do it better than you. That fact, and the acceptance of it, makes me humble and happy to accept advice, mentorship, and guidance, for if the goal is to be the best leader possible, humility must win the day over ego. One thing that I’ve taken great pains to inculcate within myself is that leadership – really, truly successful leadership – is a team sport. FDR didn’t pull the country out of the Great Depression and win World War II all on his own – he had a team of highly intelligent, motivated individuals whom he entrusted with authority to solve problems. He had a broad circle of confidants and advisors who he relied upon for advice. No one really walks the path alone – listening and accepting suggestions makes one better. A lifetime of accomplishment can all be thrown away, however, by an ethical or moral lapse. Self-discipline, a conscious recognition of mind-over-matter, forms the bedrock of my persona. Doing things the right way, for the right reason, every time – whether anyone will ever know – hovers in my peripheral vision at all times. When one is entrusted with the leadership of people and the accomplishment of great things, squandering that trust by violating ethical boundaries is not an option. I am fully bought into the professional and ethical way of doing things. Finally, and most importantly, I believe that a leader must set the example. Whatever the leader of an organization does instantly becomes acceptable for his or her employees or personnel. While it is a heavy burden, it is one that I readily accept.

Experience

1. Chief of Staff

   United States Marine Corps

   Jul 2021 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Managing the relationships and interactions between Marine Corps senior leaders and member of Congress and their professional staff. Ensuring smooth and effective operation of the entire Office of Legislative Affairs.

Education

• Marine Corps Command and Staff College

  Masters of Military Science (w/ Honors)

  2014 — 2015

• Marine Corps War College

  Masters of Strategic Studies (w/ Honors)

  2019 — 2020

• Northern Illinois University

  Masters of Public Administration (w/ Honors)

  2021 — 2024

• Iowa State University

  Bachelors of Science, History

  1996 — 1999

• Expeditionary Warfare School

  Graduation Certificate (w/ Honors), Marine Corps Operations

  2007 — 2008