Deacon Colonel (Ret) George Douglass retried from the Army in May of 1993 and returned to Howe Military School from where he had graduated in 1960.  After severing as the Senior Army Instructor for three years, Chaplain Douglass began the discernment process for the Diaconate in the Episcopal Church. After six years of study Colonel Douglass was ordained a Deacon and commenced serving as the assistant chaplain for the school as well as serving as the chaplain to the LaGrange County Sheriff’s department.  Deacon Douglass took his Bachelor degree from Heidelberg College Tiffin, Ohio in 1964 majoring in history and in 1971 took his master’s degree from Kent State University Kent, Ohio again majoring in history.   Seminary courses were through the Montreal Diocesan Theological College of Canada.

Chaplain Douglass spent over 28 years in the Army serving first with the Infantry and, after a tour in Viet Nam as an Infantry Platoon leader, branched transferred to the Military Police Corps.  After completing basic and advance infantry training, Deacon Douglass attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry in June 1965. He then enrolled in Ranger school and became an instructor upon gradation from the Ranger course.  Viet Nam was the next port of calling and Chaplain Douglass served as an infantry platoon leader in the 1st Infantry Davison.  While serving as a platoon leader, Colonel Douglass was impressed by the enlisted soldier and decided that the Army was where he wanted to stay; thereby, remaining with those fine soldiers.  During Chaplain Douglass’ time in the service he served in Puerto Rico, Okinawa, Malaysia (being the first American officer to attend the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College), Germany (two tours) and Burma as the Defense Attaché. Chaplain Douglass has also served in the Pentagon and had a tour with the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Chaplain Douglass believes that the chaplain must be seen and make her\himself available to the cadets. This means that both Chaplain Douglass and his wife Nancy, who teaches Spanish at Howe, are present at meals and during after school activities. It is the office of the chaplain that provides a place for fellowship and solitude for the cadets as they work through the academic day. Chaplain Douglass’s daughter Shannan graduated from Howe Military School in the class of 1995 and is married to another Howe Military School, Alumnus, Ryan Fox.

You can reach Colonel Douglass at extension 215 or ddouglass@howemilitary.com.