Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Aaron Maxwell, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2001 as a field radio operator and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 14th Marines. In 2003, he transferred to 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and in 2005 was attached to 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines as the Tactical Air Control Party Chief for deployment to Al Anbar, Iraq. Due to combat losses, he served as the Kilo Company Joint Terminal Air Controller.
LtCol Maxwell graduated from Colorado State University in 2006, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Following The Basic School, he completed flight training and was designated a UH-1Y Huey pilot in June 2009.
LtCol Maxwell’s assignments in the operating forces include tours with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 in 2010, and in 2011 he deployed with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (REIN) / 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Upon returning from deployment, he joined Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 as the Quality Assurance Officer and completed the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course, further progressing to Pilot Training Officer.
LtCol Maxwell was designated as a Forward Air Controller and was selected as the Air Officer for Marine Special Operations Company A, 1st Marine Raider Battalion in 2015, where he earned his Gold Parachutist Badge. Subsequently, in 2016, he was selected as the Operations Officer for Special Operations Task Force 511.2, tasked with counterterrorism operations in the Southern Philippines.
Transitioning to the USS Boxer in 2017, LtCol Maxwell was assigned as the Air Operations Officer for a Western Pacific deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
In 2020, LtCol Maxwell served as the Operations Officer for Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 during the squadron’s deployment to Okinawa, Japan, as part of the Unit Deployment Program. From October 2020 to June 2021, he served as the Executive Officer of the squadron. In 2021, LtCol Maxwell was selected to serve as the H-1 Fleet Current Readiness Officer while assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39.
Transitioning to Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School in August 2022, LtCol Maxwell served as the Operations Officer for the schoolhouse.
From June 2024 to April 2025, LtCol Maxwell served as the Plans Officer at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and was designated as Transport Aircraft Commander in the UC-35D Citation Encore. In April 2025, he was assigned as the Executive Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
LtCol Maxwell has accumulated over 1,400 flight hours in the UH-1Y Venom. His personal decorations include the Combat Action Ribbon, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Military Civic Action Medal