Colonel Jacob Graham retired from the Marine Corps on July 1, 2007, and now resides in State College, Pennsylvania. Colonel Graham was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Iowa State University and the University of Oklahoma, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture and a Masters in Public Administration, respectively.
Graham joined the Marine Corps in December 1980 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in August 1981. He received his pilot’s wings in June 1983. Colonel Graham served in various aviation units over his 26-plus years in the Marine Corps, including Marine Attack Helicopter Squadrons 367 and 369, Camp Pendleton California, and Marine Helicopter One (Executive Flight Detachment), Quantico, Virginia, where he flew in support of Presidents George Bush and William Clinton.
Graham served overseas for eight years during his tenure, in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Germany, Turkey, and places in between.
He held command billets as Squadron Commander, Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron One, Okinawa, Japan, and as Air Base Commander, Marine Corps Air Facility, Quantico, Virginia. Graham also served in various staff billets including, Japan Desk Officer, Plans, Policy and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps, the Pentagon; Director of Inspections and Investigations, Marine Corps Inspector General's Office; and President Naval Discharge Review Board, the Office of the Secretary of the Navy.
Graham has completed various military schools including, Electronic Warfare School, Intelligence Officer School, Command and Control Warfare School, Marine Tactics and Weapons Instructors School, Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Command and Staff, Air War College, and Air Force Joint Operations Staff Course where he was a distinguished graduate.
He completed a joint tour with Headquarters U.S. European Command as the Non-Strategic Nuclear Force Advisor to Commander, EUCOM, and was Mission Commander for the EUCOM Airborne Nuclear Command Post. Colonel Graham deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as the J-3, Joint Task Force North assigned to U.S. Central Command from February to May 2003.
