Douglas M. Stone

Douglas M. Stone

Major General Douglas M. Stone
Born Placerville, California
Allegiance United States of America
Years of service 1973-present
Rank Major General
Commands held 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines
MAGTF 4-91
Marine Corps Mobilization Command
Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
Task Force 134
Battles/wars Desert Storm
Iraq War
Awards Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit

Douglas M. Stone is a Major General, United States Marine Forces Reserve, Retired. He recently relinquished the position of Deputy Commanding General, Detainee Operations, Multi-National Force-Iraq and Commander, Task Force 134, commanding all detention operations in at Camp Cropper, Camp Bucca and Camp Ashraf. He was nominated for Lieutenant General and was to be head of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North.[1]

Contents

Military career

Active duty

MG Stone was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1973. He served on active duty until 1978 holding positions of Weapons Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Assistant Operations Officer and Commanding Officer, Company A, Marine Barracks, Guam.

Reserve

Assignments

In 1978, MG Stone accepted a reserve commission; and over the years served in the following positions:

Most recently Stone commanded detention facilities in Iraq, where his reforms were widely admired.[2][3] Stone changed the structure of the detention, to more quickly expedite the release of captives who weren't enemies, or whose ties to the militants had been based on money, not ideology. And Stone changed how those held in detention were treated, allowing them visits from their family, and meaningful job skills training.

In April 2009 General David Petraeus called upon Stone to apply his successful experiene from Iraq to study the USA's policy on detaining captives apprehended in Afghanistan.[2][3] His 700-page report was finished in August 2009, and Stone briefed senior officials including: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Richard Holbrooke (President Barack Obama's Special Envoy for the region), and General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. National Public Radio reports that while his report has not yet been made public officials briefed by him say he recommends releasing most Afghan captives, many of whom were not militants, just individuals rounded up in random sweeps. He is also reported to have recommended that those the USA does detain receive the same kind of rehabilitation the captives whose detention he supervised in Iraq received.

According to Radio Free Europe, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific director, Sam Zia Zarifi, paraphrased Stone's report on the USA's detentions in Afghanistan: "pointed out that the lack of a legal structure for Bagram means that it is undermining the rule of law in Afghanistan and it has caused a lot of resentment among Afghans.".[4]

Activations

Prior to being activated for Operation Iraqi Freedom, MG Stone had been activated once previously. He was activated and served with the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The Battalion, as part of its deployment to Okinawa was sent to Japan as MAGTF 4-91 supporting contingency and humanitarian relief operations in the Western Pacific. From May 2003 to August 2004 he served as the U.S. Defense Representative (and CENTCOM Liaison Officer) in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Special positions

MG Stone has served on the USMC Reserve Policy Board, the Board of Directors for the Toys for Tots Foundation, and on the Board of Advisors to the Naval Post Graduate School.

Awards and honors



SCUBA Diver Insignia
Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia
Naval Aviation Observer Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 1 oak leaf cluster Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal National Defense Service Medal w/ 2 service stars Vietnam Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ Gold Hourglass Device & Mobilization Device

Civilian career

MG Stone held various executive management positions at major computer and electronics firms and has been CEO of three software development firms.

Education

In addition to earning his Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Naval Academy, he earned advanced degrees from Pepperdine University, Stanford University and the Naval War College. He earned a doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Family

He is married with two daughters and eight grandchildren.

See also

References

External links

Preceded by
LTG John D. Gardner
Deputy Commanding General (Detainee Operations) / Commanding General Task Force 134
2007-2008
Succeeded by
Rear Adm Garland Wright