Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Hardy was born in New York City, but raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology.  After his freshman year, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and attended recruit training at Parris Island, SC.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 6 June 1994, and reported for training with BOC 5-94 at the Basic School.  In March 1995, he reported to Air Support Control Officers Course in Twentynine Palms, CA.  In June 1995, he checked into Marine Air Support Squadron Two, Okinawa, Japan and was assigned as an Air Support Control Officer.

In June 1996, he transferred to Marine Air Control Group Twenty Eight in Cherry Point, NC and served as Group Plans Officer.  In January 1997, he was assigned to Marine Air Support Squadron One as an Air Support Control Officer.  In February 1998, he deployed to the Mediterranean Sea region with the 26th MEU (SOC) and concurrently served as the Air Support Element OIC, the MACG DET 28 Executive Officer and the 26th MEU Assistant Air Officer.   In September of 1998, he returned to Marine Air Support Squadron One to serve as the Training Officer.

In August of 1999, he reported to Command and Control Systems Course.  In May 2000, he reported to the Basic School where he was assigned to the Warfighting Instructor Group as the primary Land Navigation Instructor.  After completing a year in the Warfighting Instructor Group, he was assigned as Staff Platoon Commander for two student companies.

In summer of 2003 he returned to Marine Air Support Squadron One as the Direct Air Support Control Center OIC.  In December 2003, he left for a seven-month deployment to East Africa and was assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa as the Assistant Current Operations Officer (ACOPS).   He returned to the U.S. in early June and was assigned as the Marine Air Support Squadron One Operations Officer.   In January of 2005 he deployed to OIF 04-06 as detachment OIC.

In August 2006 he reported to Joint Information Operations Center in San Antonio, TX where he served as an Information Operations planner.   In February 2007, he returned to Iraq as the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force IO planner and led the Counter-IED Operation Planning Team.

In July 2009, he returned to Okinawa, Japan and was assigned as the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Lead Planner for a USPACOM numbered OPLAN.  In August of 2011 Lieutenant Colonel Hardy was assigned as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for G5 Plans for III MEF.

In June of 2012 Lieutenant Colonel Hardy returned to MCCES and served as the Executive Officer and took command of the Air Control Training Squadron in April.

Lieutenant Colonel Hardy’s personal awards include Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal W/ Gold Star, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal W/ Gold Star.