Major Richard Ross Schellhaas was born in San Diego, California and raised in Meridian, Idaho.  Upon graduation from high school he enlisted in the Marine Corps and reported to MCRD San Diego, upon graduation he attended Marine Combat Training and Infantry Training Battalion graduating as a mortar man. He was then assigned as a mortar man in Company B 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. While with B 1/1 he served in the company’s 60mm mortar section and as a scout swimmer completing two deployments between 1993 and 1996 with the 31st MEU and 15th MEU. Upon completion of his enlistment Major Schellhaas attended Boise State University and enrolled in the Platoon Leaders Course attending Officers Candidate School in the summer of 1998 and 1999. After graduation from Boise State he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May of 2000.  After graduating from the Basic School and attending Infantry Officers Course, he was assigned to 2d Battalion, 1st Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA from November 2001 to November 2004.  During this time Major Schellhaas served as rifle platoon commander and rifle company executive officer. He completed a Western Pacific deployment with the 15th MEU in 2003, where he served as a rifle platoon commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom I, in Umm Qasr and Nasiryia, Iraq. Major Schellhaas completed a second deployment as a rifle company executive officer as part of Regimental Combat Team 1, in Fallujah Iraq from March to October of 2004 participating in Operation Vigilant Resolve.

Major Schellhaas then reported to Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton, CA where he served as the C Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer. In March of 2007 he attended the Maneuver Captains Career Course in Fort Benning, GA. Major Schellhaas was subsequently assigned to 2d Battalion, 7th Marines as the  F Company Commander. From October 2007 to February 2009 Major Schellhaas commanded Company F during a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon return from Afghanistan, Major Schellhaas assumed command of Weapons Company 2/7 deploying on the 31st MEU from February 2009 to June 2010. After his tour with 2/7, he was again transferred to the School of Infantry (West) where he served as the Commanding Officer of Infantry Unit Leader Training Company, Advanced Infantry Training Battalion from July 2010 to June 2013. Following his tour at SOI, Major Schellhaas attended Marine Corps Command and Staff College graduating in June 2014. In July 2014 he assumed his current billet as XO of 1st LAR Bn.