LtCol Mike Rountree, USMC

Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Michael H. Rountree Jr., callsign “Gravy”, is from Houston, Texas. He attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Development. He was commissioned August 11, 2000. He became a Naval Aviator in February 2003 and selected to fly the AV-8B Harrier. He attended the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina and was assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 311 stationed at MCAS Yuma, Arizona.

LtCol Rountree served with the Fighting Tomcats of VMA-311 from March 2004 to May 2007. During that time, he deployed to Al Asad, Iraq with the Tomcats followed by a deployment on the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as a member of the Harrier Detachment. He also attended the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron (MAWTS) 1. In May 2007, LtCol Rountree joined the Wake Island Avengers of VMA-211 and deployed with the Harrier Detachment on the 11th MEU.

From June 2008 to July 2011, LtCol Rountree served as an Instructor Pilot (IP) at MAWTS-1. He spent 2 years with the Harrier Division and 1 year with the Aviation Development, Tactics and Evaluation Department. During this time, he augmented Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 as an adversary pilot flying the F-5N Tiger II.

LtCol Rountree was selected to fly the F-35B Lighting II and joined the Warlords of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. He was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, from July 2011 to July 2014. He then moved with the squadron to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina until July 2016. During his time with the Warlords, he served as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer and the Executive Officer.

In July 2016, LtCol Rountree attended the School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW) at Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia. After a year of study, he earned a Master’s Degree in Operational Art. He was assigned to serve as the Marine Air Ground Task Force Planner for Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) at Camp Smith, Hawaii from July 2017 to July 2018.

Following his assignment at MARFORPAC, LtCol Rountree moved to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. During this time, he has attended the F-35B FRS and served with The Green Knights of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 as the Detachment Officer-in-Charge. On 26 April 2019, LtCol Rountree took command of VMFA-121.

After 2 years of command in MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, LtCol Rountree returned to Quantico and was assigned to the faculty of SAW as the Operational Planning Course Director where he currently serves.

LtCol Rountree’s personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Air Medal Strike Flight (7 awards), and Navy Commendation Medal (3 awards).