About J. douglas whitaker

Doug entered military service in 1988 as a Private, E-1, with the 1139th Military Police (MP) Company (Co), Missouri Army National Guard. He attended basic training at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, between his junior and senior years in high school as a split option trainee . Upon graduating from high school in 1989, Doug returned to Ft. McClellan where he completed Military Police school in September 1989. In 1990, Doug volunteered to deploy to the middle east with the 1138th MP Co to perform EPW/POW operations in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm.  During his deployment, Doug and his fellow MPs were assigned to the 301st EPW/POW camp located near Hafir Al Batan, Saudi Arabia.  After serving in Desert Storm, Doug returned to the 1139th MP Co where he served as a traditional guardsman for the next ten years achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6). In April 2001, Doug received a direct commission as a First Lieutenant in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corp. Doug's initial JAG assignment was Trial Counsel with the 135th Field Artillery Brigade, Missouri Army National Guard. In November of 2002, Doug relocated to Texas and transferred to the 49th Armored Division, Texas Army National Guard.  In August 2004, Doug was activated and deployed to Iraq in January 2005 serving as the Brigade Command Judge Advocate with the 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division . Doug was released from active duty in January 2006 and reverted back to reserve status in the Texas Army National Guard.  In 2010, Doug volunteered to deploy a third time; this time to Baghdad where he served as Deputy Command Judge Advocate for the Joint Area Support Group-Baghdad. Upon returning from that deployment, Doug held various Judge Advocate positions in the Texas Army National Guard to include Regional Defense Counsel responsible for overseeing the delivery of trial defense services in five states and one territory. Doug's military career culminated in 2017 when he became the Staff Judge Advocate, 36th Infantry Division, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel, O-6. Doug retired from the Texas Army National Guard on November 1, 2020. Doug's medals and ribbons include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (3rd Award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (2nd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (4th Award), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait Government), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia Government), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Iraq Campaign Medal. 

Paying it forward has always been an influencing factor in Doug's career and community service. In addition to a 32 year career in the Army and Army National Guard, Doug began his civilian career as a volunteer firefighter in 1987. In October of 1989, he became a full-time firefighter/EMT with a suburban fire district in Raymore, Missouri. In 1992, Doug left the fire district in order to attend college full-time at Northwest Missouri State University. While in college, Doug worked at two separate ambulance districts as a paramedic.  Upon graduating from college, Doug took time off from work to attend law school. After becoming an attorney in 2000, Doug was employed as an Assistant District Attorney in Johnson County, Kansas from 2000-2002.  Since 2002, Doug has been a civilian attorney with the federal government.  Doug is active in his community as the President of the local youth sports organization and he coaches baseball and basketball. Doug also serves as a Director of the Nebraska Soldiers Foundation.

Doug attended undergraduate studies at Northwest Missouri State University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration in 1997 (magna cum laude).  As a Bearcat, Doug was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and received the Department of Government’s Annual Award in 1996.  In 2000, Doug graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law with a Juris Doctorate (top 20%). While in law school, Doug was a member of the UMKC Law Review, received multiple Dean Awards and held a teaching assistant position his second year.  Doug is a graduate of the Army Judge Advocate General School's Officer Basic and Advanced courses, as well as, the Army Command and General Staff College's Intermediate Level Education course.  In August 2013, Doug completed the Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.