Lieutenant Colonel Jason C. Copeland was raised in Roswell, New Mexico. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S in Systems Engineering in May of 2004. After attending The Basic School, he reported to the Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Virginia graduating in May of 2005.
Lieutenant Colonel Copeland then reported to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in Twentynine Palms, California. During his tour, he served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Weapons Platoon Commander, 81mm mortar Platoon Commander and a Combined Anti-Armor Team Platoon Commander. While serving with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, Lieutenant Colonel Copeland deployed twice to Ar Ramadi, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06 in September of 2005 and Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08 in May of 2007.
In May of 2008 Lieutenant Colonel Copeland reported as the Marine Officer Instructor at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana serving as a Company Commander for two summer training packages at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California. Lieutenant Colonel Copeland also completed a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Louisiana State University in May of 2010. In May of 2011, he was selected to attend the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia
In May 2012, Lieutenant Colonel Copeland graduated with distinction from Expeditionary Warfare School and reported to Camp Pendleton, California. He served as the Charlie Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines and the 5th Marine Regiment Assistant Operations Officer before assuming command of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in December of 2012. He deployed with Golf Company as the Air Assault Company with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in November of 2013. Upon redeployment in June of 2014 he was assigned as the Battalion Operations Officer.
Lieutenant Colonel Copeland served as the Commanding Officer, Recruiting Station Baltimore in 2015 leading Marines across Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. In 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Copeland served as a Senior Instructor in Economics at the U.S. Naval Academy before selection to United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College where he earned a Master of Arts Degree in Military Studies.
Following Staff College in 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Copeland attended the School of Advanced Warfighting in Quantico, Virginia where he earned a Master of Arts Degree in Operational Studies and reported to 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade as a MAGTF Planner and Future Operations Officer in Okinawa Japan from 2019-2021.
Lieutenant Colonel Copeland’s personal decorations include the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 3 Gold Stars, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Gold Star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.