Lieutenant Colonel Colter Bahlau (Bay-low) is from Jackson, Michigan, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University. His career began June 2005, when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Completing The Basic School and Combat Engineer Officer's Course he reported to 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division.
During his time at the 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, Lieutenant Bahlau undertook three deployments. His first deployment in 2007 was with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Cell, II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) in Camp Fallujah, Iraq. Subsequently, he served as a Combat Engineer Platoon Commander with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines in Afghanistan in 2008. His third deployment was as a Combat Engineer Company Commander with Regimental Combat Team 8 in Al Asad, Iraq. After completing his service at the 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, Captain Bahlau attended the Engineer Career Captains Course in Fort Leonard wood, Missouri.
In June 2010, Captain Bahlau moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, assuming the role of Academic Officer and Instructor at the Marine Corps Engineer School. During this assignment, he embarked on his fourth deployment in support of CENTCOM (FWD), conducting Antiterrorism/Force Protection inspections in Afghanistan, Egypt, Oman, and Yemen. In August 2013, Captain Bahlau was transferred to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he served as the Site Commander/Inspector-Instructor for Engineer Support Company/Bridge Company A, 6th Engineer Support Battalion.
In December 2016, Major Bahlau attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, to specialize as a Latin American Regional Affairs Officer, graduating in June 2018. He then served at the Marine Corps Information Operations Center, deploying to Honduras as part of a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in support of United States Southern Command’s objectives.
In July 2020, Major Bahlau served as the Operations Officer for Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 in Okinawa, Japan, until June 2021. Subsequently, in July 2021, he assumed the role of Operations Officer at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz Guam.
In June 2023, Lieutenant Colonel Bahlau relocated to Headquarters Marine Corps, assuming the role of Occupational Field Sponsor for the Engineer Community under the Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.
Lieutenant Colonel Bahlau holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School and has been recognized as the Marine Corps and SAME Combat Engineer Officer of the year 2009. He has completed various military courses, including the Basic Combat Engineer Officer Course, Engineer Career Captains Course, Joint Engineer Operations Course, Intermediate MAGTF Logistics Operations Course, Operations and Tactics Course, and Command and Staff College.