LtGen Christmas is currently the President of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and is involved in numerous other projects which include: Senior Mentor, MAGTF Staff Training Program; Member, Senior Military Advisers Forum, JSIMS Enterprise, SAIC/TRW; Senior Mentor, JTASC Exercise Support, TRW; Trustee, Young Marines, and; Trustee, U.S. Naval Institute Foundation. He was commissioned into the Marine Corps through the NROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962. He served in various infantry command and staff assignments as a company grade officer including command of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Vietnam. He was seriously wounded during the battle for Hue City during Tet '68 and for his actions there was awarded the Navy Cross. Some of his key assignments include CO, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD Parris Island; CO, 3rd Marines; CG, 3rd FSSG; CG, I MEF; Director, J-3, USCINCPAC. He retired from the Corps in 1996 after 34 years active duty. His final assignment was Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Reserve Affairs. LtGen Christmas is married to the former Sherrill Lownds. They have 4 children and 12 grandchildren.

Dr. Mike Colson is a former Navy Commander and Chaplain who is now the outreach coordinator with the Seattle Vet Center assisting returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. He is a National Service Fellow, a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, was awarded the Iraq (and) Afghanistan War on Terrorism Medal, and is a significantly disabled American veteran. Dr. Colson's academic training includes a BSc. in Education from Eastern Michigan University, a Masters of Arts in Educational Psychology and Counseling from Western Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Sociology and Human Services from Walden University. He has worked for over 22 years in a variety of challenging military and humanitarian assignments holding positions as a public school teacher and principal, adjunct college professor and Foreign Service Officer. He served for 14 years in war torn Southern Africa assisting with drought relief and refugee programs, started with his wife an orphan support facility which he advocates for today, and continues to travel extensively worldwide. His speaking and writing allow him to engage with the community, share his joy for life, and make an argument for all that is good in the world.

Past accomplishments include two books: The Paradox of Underachievement from EMI that explores youth and military dissonance in a benefit-laden society - and - In Irons from Bookmasters that is a humorous diatribe on the art of living well. Paradox was be re-released in 2005 as a workbook and on CD, and his newest book, We Are Mysterious is due out mid 2006. His very popular "Get a Life" materials targeting suicide, depression, work-related stress, getting an education, decision making, and military deployment expectations is currently available on CD, DVD, and will be available via downloading.

Dr. Colson is a regular contributor to Military.com and other military service and community publications, makes at least 3 public speaking appearances a week, and lives on Camano Island in Washington State's Puget Sound. He is an advocate for HIV/AIDS relief in Africa, regularly fund-raises for this an other youth concerns, and is a volunteer select soccer coach. He has been married to Jane, a successful public school principal, for 27 years. Their sons Pieter and Luke - in Hollywood and at the University of Hawaii - are both successful scholars, athletes, and community servants.

CONFIRMED: Colonel Bryan McCoy was the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion 4th Marine Regiment from May 2002 through July 2004 and led his battalion through two combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 3rd Battalion was the first Marine unit to enter Baghdad on April 7, 2003, and it was this unit that pulled down the Saddam statue in Firdos Square on April 9, 2003. In the second tour the 3rd Battalion saw action during Operation Vigilant Resolve in Fallujah in April and May of 2004.

McCoy has served primarily in infantry and light armored reconnaissance units as platoon commander, company commander, and operations officer at the battalion and regimental levels. In 2004, McCoy testified before the United States Congress House Armed Services Committee on the situation in Iraq.

McCoy’s awards include the Legion of Merit with Combat ‘V’, the Bronze Star with Combat ‘V’, and the Combat Action Ribbon with gold star in lieu of second award. He was the winner of the 2003 Navy League General John A. Lejuene Inspirational Leadership Award and has been the subject of articles in Time magazine and New York Times Magazine.

McCoy is a published author on combat leadership (The Passion of Command: The Moral Imperative of Leadership) and is the subject of the book McCoy’s Marines: Darkside to Baghdad by embedded reporter John Koopman. He is currently the assistant chief of staff/operations officer at the Training and Education Command. Colonel McCoy will be taking command of the 7th Marine Regiment early summer, 2007.

Colonel Jack Jackson served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. Arriving in Vietnam in November 1968, Colonel Jackson flew over 600 combat missions in A4's, OV-10's, UHIE and AHIG. A highly decorated veteran, Colonel Jackson is the recipient of four Distinguished Flying Crosses, 33 Air Medals, Navy Commendation Medal for Heroism and Valor, a host of campaign medals and, most recently, the Legion of Merit for Service to His Country.

Returning from Vietnam, Colonel Jackson attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School, testing aircraft for the United States military. Subsequently, he was the aide-de-camp for a Two Star General. He left active duty as a Marine Captain in 1977. Colonel Jackson remained active in the service of his country by staying in the Marine Corps Reserves and achieved the rank of Colonel. He was called back to active duty for Desert Shield where he served as a Harrier Instructor Pilot.

Colonel Jackson continued to play an important part in the defense of his country as a key person in the Boeing Company (previously McDonnell Douglas). Colonel Jackson became a test pilot at Boeing Company in January 1978. He tested virtually every type of U.S. fighter aircraft as well as two Russian fighters, accumulating over 10,000 flight hours. He is also the nation's most experienced VSTOL pilot. By October 1999, Colonel Jackson had accumulated 5,000 flight hours in the Harrier alone. In January 2004, he retired from his position as Chief Pilot-Production Test with Boeing Company where he was responsible for all production activities. Colonel Jackson had been an instrumental leader in keeping thousands of jobs and billions of dollars worth of contracts in Missouri.

In 2004, Colonel Jackson was the recipient of the National Aeronautic Association's Elder Statesman of Aviation, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the aviation industry. Other recipients include Chuck Yeager and Neil Armstrong.

Colonel Jackson was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2002. His peers elected him as President of the freshman legislative class of 2002. He is Chairman of the Joint Committee on Terrorism, Bioterrorism and Homeland Security and Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and a member of the Job Creation and Economic Development and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Committees. He is also a member of the Missouri Emergency Response Commission and the Joint Committee on Life Sciences and a member of the House Appropriations Committee for Public Safety.

He has led the passage of major legislation in support of veterans and most recently has been working to raise penalties for those who lead police on high-speed car chases. Colonel Jackson also has in-depth experience with auditing government spending as the leader of a tiger team audit whose work saved millions for Missouri taxpayers.

Colonel Jackson received the “Legislator of the Year Award” from the Missouri Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars in June 2003 and the “Legislator of the Year Award” from the American Legion in 2004. He also received the National Aide-de-Camp award from the National Commander of the National VFW. Most recently, Colonel Jackson received a 100% rating from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce as a strong advocate for Missouri business.