Brigadier General Simon M. Doran

Brigadier General Simon M. Doran was born in Liverpool, England. He graduated from Purdue University in 1993. He was commissioned in 1993, attended flight training, and was designated an FA-18 Hornet pilot. From May 1998 to May 2002 he was a pilot in Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) - 251. He attended Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) in May of 2000 and the Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course in Oct of 2000. He deployed with Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1) for two combat deployments. The first, aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in 1999 for Operation Southern Watch, and the second in September 2001 aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

From June 2002 to June 2005 he was a TOPGUN instructor at Naval Air Station Fallon, NV, where he flew the F/A-18 Hornet and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. At TOPGUN he was the Close Air Support and Air-to-Ground employment subject matter expert (SME).

From August 2005 to June 2006 he attended the Naval War College and graduated with distinction, earning a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. He returned to the F/A-18 cockpit in July 2006 for a tour with the “Red Devils” of VMFA-232. While with the “Red Devils” he filled the billets of Operations Officer, Aviation Maintenance Officer, and Executive Officer during two cruises with Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2007 and 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), OEF, and a Western Pacific (WESTPAC), tour.

He then served aboard the Staff of the Commanding General, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (3d MAW) from 2008 to 2009 as the Joint Strike Fighter SME and Marine Aviation Training Support Site Officer in Charge. From July 2009 to July 2010, he served as the Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR) Integration and Plans Officer for the Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DC A).

In September 2010, he returned to the Beaufort, SC for duty as the Executive Officer with the “Thunderbolts” of VMFA-251 for a combat deployment aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in support of Operation New Dawn and OEF. On 29 July, 2011, he was privileged to take command of the “Thunderbolts” and lead them on the final deployment of the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) supporting OEF. During his command VMFA-251 won the Hanson award as the best Marine Fighter Attack Squadron in the Marine Corps.

After relinquishing command of the Thunderbolts in May 2013, he attended the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama in 2013-2014 where he graduated with distinction and earned a Master of Strategic Studies. From 2014-2015, he served as the Executive Officer at The Basic School (TBS), Quantico, VA. He then served on the Joint Staff J-8 Programming, Budget and Analysis, Strategy and Plans Division, for the Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations (DC PP&O) as the Marine Corps service representative, readiness, and TACAIR SME. He commanded Marine Aircraft Group Eleven (MAG-11) from July 2017 to July 2019 and from August 2019 to August 2020 he served as the Assistant Wing Commander, 3d MAW.

BGen Doran previously served as the U.S. Senior National Representative to the Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth (R-08). In August 2020 Brigadier General Doran assumed the duties as the Director, Strategy and Plans Division, for DC PP&O before assuming his current position as the Vice Chief of Naval Research.