Major Silva entered the Marines through the Platoon Leader Class-Combined program in May 2011, completed training in August 2011, and received his commission in July 2012. He reported to The Basic School in July 2013 and graduated in January 2014. Upon graduation, Major Silva attended and graduated from the Amphibious Officer’s Course and then reported to Combat Assault Company (CAC), 3d Marine Regiment in Kaneohe Bay, Hi.
Major Silva served as a Platoon Commander, Executive Officer, and Company Commander with CAC from 2014 - 2017. Further, he deployed with V14 in support of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin. Upon redeployment, Major Silva served as a special staff officer for 3rd Marines during RIMPAC 2016. Major Silva received orders for MCRD-PI in August 2017.
Major Silva served as a Series and Company Commander from August 2017 - July 2020, completing seven training cycles and overseeing the training and graduation of over 1900 recruits to basically trained Marines. Upon completing his B-Billet, Major Silva received orders to attend Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) in July 2020.
Following EWS, Major Silva reported to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, assuming command of Company A. His company provided general support to First Marine Division on mechanized operations and provisional infantry support. Following his tour in July 2021, Major Silva would transfer to Assault Amphibian School as the Operations Officer.
Upon his transfer, Major Silva was involved in several community and Service level initiatives with the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). He was the lead author and editor of the Preliminary Assault Amphibian Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (AATOPS) manual and the Promulgated AATOPS manual. Additionally, he was one of the lead planners for establishing the ACV Transition Training Unit. Major Silva has been involved in every transitional effort regarding the ACV to ensure the Service transitions effectively and efficiently to this service-defining capability.
His awards include a Meritorious Service Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, and Navy & Marine Corps Commendation with three gold stars. Major Silva ’possesses a dual Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies and Political Science with honors and Master of Business Administration with Syracuse University. His professional education includes Non-Resident EWS, resident EWS, Non-Resident Marine Corps Command & Staff, and resident Army Command & General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He graduated Army CGSC as a superior graduate earning his second Master’s in Operational Studies along with earning Army certifications as a Red Team Member and in Strategic Studies with a focus on National Policy Formulation, INDOPACOM, and Joint Force Command.