Guest of Honor
Lieutenant Colonel (USMC, Ret.) Donald E. Gray Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel Donald E. Gray Jr. is an Executive Logistician with over 30 years of experience in Facilities Management, Fleet Operations, Strategic Planning, and Program Management. Since retiring in 2012 after 26 years of honorable service, Lieutenant Colonel Gray has continued to dedicate himself to his community and to those in uniform. We are proud to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps with him as our Guest of Honor.
Lieutenant Colonel Gray enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1986 from his hometown of Houston, Texas. He was the Honor Graduate from both Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, and the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California. As an 0311 Infantryman, he served in several billets with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, to include Joint Task Force 6 counterdrug/counter-narcoterrorism operations along the Texas and Mexico border.
Upon graduation from Prairie View A&M University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and a minor in Military Science (as the Naval ROTC unit’s most Distinguished Graduate), he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and reported to The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia.
Lieutenant Colonel Gray continued to distinguish himself as an officer by serving multiple assignments to include Bulk Fuel and Bulk Water Platoon Commander with 9th Motor Transport Battalion in Okinawa, Japan; Motor Transport Officer, Engineer Equipment Officer, Maintenance Management Officer, Safety Officer, and S-4 Alpha for 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company with 1st Surveillance Reconnaissance Intelligence Group located at Camp Pendleton, California; Officer Selection Officer for Recruiting Station Houston, Texas; Logistics Officer for the 5th Force Reconnaissance Battalion and the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Okinawa, Japan; Camp Schwab Deputy Camp Commander; Battalion Operations Officer of 3d Marine Division Headquarters; Group Inspector General and Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff G-4 for 3rd Force Service Support Group; Commanding Officer of Combat Logistics Company Alpha with 3rd Transportation Support Battalion; Executive Officer of 3rd Marine Logistics Group Headquarters and Service Battalion; Executive Officer of Marine Logistics Regiment 2 in Sri Lanka; Assistant Chief of Staff G-4 of Marine Forces Europe/Marine Forces Africa in Stuttgart, Germany; Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Logistics Command Forward - Afghanistan; and Deputy Director of the Maintenance Management Center at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia.
During his time in uniform, Lieutenant Colonel Gray supported operations in Korea, Africa, Spain, Norway, and Israel, and supported Operation FIERY VIGIL in the Philippines, Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia, Operation UNIFIED ASSISTANCE in Sri Lanka, and Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.
Lieutenant Colonel Gray’s military and professional education include: the USAID Joint Humanitarian Operations Course, the Marine Corps Advanced Logistics Operations Course, Marine Corps Condensed Logistics Education Program at Penn State, and the U.S. Coast Guard National Strike Force National Interagency Incident Management System Incident Command System Course. Lieutenant Colonel Gray has completed the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Lieutenant Colonel Gray also has a Project Management Certification from the University of Houston.
After retiring from the United States Marine Corps in 2012, Lieutenant Colonel Gray served as Program Manager for Albany, Georgia operations for KBRwyle (formerly known as Honeywell Technology Solutions Incorporated) before assuming his current position with the City of Albany as the Director of Facilities Management.
Lieutenant Colonel Gray also serves on the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as the 2022 Past Chairman; Co-Chairman of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee; and member of Governmental Affairs, Talent Education & Leadership, and the Small Business Development & Investor Engagement Committees. Lieutenant Colonel Gray also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Albany Museum of Art; the Board of Directors for the Sowega Council on Aging and AB&T Bank; and also serves as the Board of Directors’ Chairman for the Commodore Conyers College and Career (4C) Academy.
Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Gray is a 33rd degree Mason (Prince Hall Affiliated) and a Legion of Honor Shriner. He is an active community volunteer, participating in local church youth programs and the Habitat for Humanity Program.