Division Chief of Staff Joe Afonso

Joe Afonso was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and currently resides their with his wife Tami of 21 years and his son Cameron and daughter Angelique. He enlisted into the Marine Corps in December 1999 into the Delayed Entry Program while completing his Freshman year of college. Upon graduating from bootcamp at Parris Island, SC on September 1st, 2000, he completed SOI and specialty school as an 81mm Mortarman. He served with Weapons Company 1^st Bn 25^th Marines based out of Devens, MA and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2006 and was honorably discharged upon his return.

Joe joined the Marine Corps League in February 2022 after meeting fellow League members at a Young Marines drill, which his daughter is currently a member. He became a member of the Bucci-Atwood Detachment #376 where upon his first meeting he was voted in as Commandant of the Detachment. In April 2023, he became the Sr. Vice Commandant of the Department of Rhode Island. In September 2023, Joe then became the Commandant for the Department of Rhode Island where he currently still holds the position and was selected to be the Chief of Staff for the New England Division NVC Patrick Maguire. He is also active with the Rhode Island Young Marines and is currently a staff member with the unit.