Colonel (Retired) George Douglass graduated from Howe Military School in 1960 and from Heidelberg College in 1964 with an AB in History. He received his Master Degree from Kent State University with a major in African History in 1971. Colonel Douglass entered the Army after college and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry in 1965 through Infantry Officer Candidate School. After completing the US Army Ranger School in 1965, he was assigned as an instructor at the Mountain Ranger Camp in Dahlonega, Georgia. In 1966 Colonel Douglass was assigned as an infantry platoon leader in the Republic of Vietnam, where he earned three Bronze Star’s for valor and a Purple Heart. His military career has included a tour as a ROTC instructor at Kent State University from 1971-1975. Shortly after the shootings at Kent State, Colonel Douglass managed to rebuild the ROTC program at Kent State and significantly increased their enrollment. He has had two tours in Washington, DC. His first assignment was as the chief of the Army’s Military Police Operations and the second tour was with the Defense Intelligence Agency. In addition, he has been exposed to multi-cultural assignments having served in Puerto Rico, Germany, Okinawa, and Malaysia, where he was the first American to attend and graduate from the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College. Colonel Douglass’ last assignment before retiring was as the Defense Attaché in Burma. As such, he was the chief military advisor to the Ambassador and worked with the State Department. He dealt with not only the host country’s military but also with the military attaches of ten other countries. All of these assignments provided Colonel Douglass with a sound back ground to return to his alma mater in 1993. Upon returning to Howe, Colonel Douglass was the Senior Army Instructor. During this time he completed correspondence study with the Montreal Diocesan Theological College, which is affiliated with McGill University of Montreal, Canada and was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church in 2003. Colonel Douglass has worn many hats during his time at Howe including serving as the Assistant Chaplain, Dean of Students and the Senior Army Instructor. All of these assignments along with his military career prepared him for selection as the Superintendent of The Howe School in September of 2011.
Colonel Douglass and his wife, Nancy, have three children Shannan Douglass Fox’93, Captain (Army) Andrew K. Douglass and Matthew Douglass. Shannan is married to Staff Sergeant Ryan Fox’98 USMC.
Colonel Douglass feels Howe is an educational multiplier for parents/guardians as well as their cadet. This is accomplished through the military model, which assists in the maturation, socialization and education of Howe’s cadets. The military model provides the cadet with a platform that is built on the concept of concern for others. As a student progresses through the ranks he/she learns to be conscious as to the needs of others and to work to sustain their health and welfare. Colonel Douglass sees Howe developing leaders by immersing the cadet in both the practical aspects and class room instruction of leadership. Superimposed is the ethical aspect that strives to remind the student of his/her duties to each other. Howe imbues in the cadet the ability to work with and get along with others, two traits Colonel Douglass finds as a necessity to a successful life.