By Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero

Lansdale native and North Penn High School class of 1998 graduate Dawn M. Edwards was promoted to the rank of Marine Corps gunnery sergeant during a ceremony with fellow Marines and family members aboard Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia, Aug. 19.

Gunnery Sergeant Edwards’ rank was pinned on by her eight-year-old son, Kyle Edwards and by her father Michael Philbin.
Edwards entered active military service in September 1998, and is currently serving as a communications technician at Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG) in Virginia Beach, Va.

Prior to checking into MCTAG, Edwards served as a communications instructor with the Marine Corps Communications and Electronics School located at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. from July 2008 until July 2011.

She is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Her parents Michael and Eleanore Philbin still reside in Lansdale, Pa., area.

Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group coordinates, manages, executes, and evaluates U.S. Marine Corps Security Cooperation (SC) programs and activities to include assessments, planning, related education and training, and advisory support to ensure unity of effort in building Partner Nation Security Force (PNSF) capacity and capability in order to facilitate U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and regional Marine Forces component command (MARFOR) SC objectives.

IN THE PHOTO ABOVE: Lansdale native, Gunnery Sgt. Dawn Edwards was pinned on to the rank of gunnery sergeant by her son Kyle Edwards and her father Michael Philbin. Edwards is a communications technician stationed at Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group. (Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Mulero)