COLONEL JOHN (MITCH) DOUGLASS 
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Marine Corps Detachment Commander
Joint Enabling Capabilities Command

Colonel Douglass was born and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and graduated recruit training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 1995, attending the University of Missouri and serving as a Reserve Marine with 4th Supply Battalion, in Detachment in Topeka KS. He joined the Mizzou Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the university, making it his commissioning source in December 1999.

With his first assignment in Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, Camp Schwab, Okinawa, he served as First Platoon Commander, Combat Engineer Company.  Here he supported Unit Deployment Program battalion deployments in Camp Fuji, Japan, and Northern Training Area, Okinawa.

In 2001, he transferred to Camp Pendleton, California, serving as S-4, 7th Engineer Support Battalion (ESB), and deploying to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2003, where he served as XO and CO of the Support Company. In 2004, he executed orders to serve as Inspector-Instructor Engineer Company C, 6th ESB, and deployed with Company C to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 2-2 in 2004-05, the deployment encompassing Operation AL-FAJR, FALLUJAH.  Returning to CONUS, he assumed the duties of Inspector-Instructor in 2005.

Douglass transferred into the individual ready reserve in 2007. Joining Reserve service in 2009, he joined Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Staff Training Program (MSTP) Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) detachment, Quantico, Va. Here, he served as Logistics Planner and Engineer Planner in Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise events and attended Counterinsurgency Academy. In 2011, he moved to 4th Combat Engineer Battalion (CEB) to execute a company command position with Engineer Support Company, 4th CEB, in Baltimore, Md. In 2013, he was selected to mobilize and deploy with the 4th CEB Headquarters to serve as Operations Officer, Special MAGTF (SPMAGTF)-Africa 3.3, 2013-2014. Here, he planned and executed multiple security cooperation events and supported Operation OAKEN SONNET, the evacuation of American citizens from Southern Sudan in 2013. Returning to CONUS in 2014, he continued as Operations Officer and served as Executive Officer, 4th CEB, through 2015.

Joining MSTP again in 2016, he served as Deputy Chief of Operations, executing Det participation in MEFEX 2016, 2018, LARGE SCALE EXERCISE 2016, 2017, and KEY RESOLVE 2017. While in this capacity he attended the Army War College in the Distance program, graduating in 2019.   

In 2019, Col. Douglass assumed command of 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, leading seven companies across five states. During this tour, 4th CEB supported the 4th Marine Division’s contributions to Integrated Training Exercises in 2019 and 2020, and deployed Engineers to UDP, Okinawa, SPMAGTF-CR-Afghanistan.

In 2021, he completed his command tour and transferred to the JECC as a Joint Planner. Soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the following year, Col. Douglass deployed with a Mission-Tailored Package (MTP) in support of Operation EUROPE DEFENDER, U.S. European Command, with the XVIII Airborne Corps and Army V Corps. In 2024, another MTP requirement assigned Col. Douglass to the Pentagon with the Global Information Dominance Experiment (GIDE), where he helped integrate Artificial Intelligence into DoD decision making and fires processes.

Before returning to the JECC as Marine Corps Detachment commander, Col Douglass served as Regional Coordinator of Readiness Support Program-2, Marine Corps Individual Readiness Support Activity, FHG. His organization managed the 9,000-strong Marine IRR population located in the northern Midwest territory of the US, planning and executing muster events, and enabling access to this manpower. 

His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with Gold Star in lieu of third award), Navy Commendation Medal (with Gold Star in lieu of third award), and the Combat Action Ribbon. He is married and has three daughters (two in college, one in high school).