Order AnnouncementsTokyo Commencement Speaker
Brigadier General John A. Toolan, Jr.
United States Marine Corps
Deputy Commander, United States Forces Japan
Brigadier General John Toolan, Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1954. After graduating from Fordham University in 1976, he was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders’ Course in October 1976. As an infantry officer, he first served as a Platoon Commander and Company Commander. Next, he served three years as the Battalion Operations and Executive Officer of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion before becoming the Battalion Commander of “Wolf Pack”, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in 29 Palms California. Subsequently, he served as both the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division Operations Officer after which he commanded Regimental Combat Team 1 during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) I and II.
His operational highlights include “JUST CAUSE (1989)”, “DESERT SHIELD / DESERT STORM (1990-1991)”, “ALLIED FORCE (1999-2000)” and “OIF I and II (2002-2004)”. Additionally, he spent two tours in Recruit Training, one tour at Headquarters, Marine Corps in Manpower Assignments and a joint assignment at SHAPE Headquarters in Belgium where he was the Deputy J5 responsible for plans in Bosnia and Kosovo. In 2004, he was selected as the Director of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, VA. Promoted to Brigadier General in July 2006, he was assigned as the Principal Director for Asia/Pacific Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in Washington DC. He is currently assigned as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces, Japan.
Brigadier General Toolan earned his Masters in Business Administration in 1982 and graduated from the Air War College in 1998. His awards include the Legion of Merit with Combat V (2X) and the Combat Action Ribbon.