Major Jared Duff is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University of Bolivar, Missouri. A scholar athlete on SBU's football team, he lettered four years at the Varsity NCAA Division II level and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelors Degree majoring in both Psychology and Sociology. After graduating he entered military service in 1998 via the Officer Candidate Commissioning (OCC) program receiving a Commission as a Second Lieutenant in April of that year. He attended The Basic School through the summer of 1998 and subsequently was selected to attend the Armor Officer Basic Course (AOBC) in Ft. Knox Kentucky and granted the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 1802 (Marine Tank Officer).
Graduating from AOBC he reported to his first fleet assignment checking into 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Rein). Assigned to Company D he served as the Platoon Commander for 3rd Platoon and deployed to Shoal Water Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia in support of Exercise Crocodile 99 with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. Upon his return he was selected to deploy as the Tank Platoon Commander attached to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. He deployed in support of West Pac-00 from October 2000 to April 2001. During this deployment he led his tank platoon in both mounted and dismounted operations participating in Humanitarian Operations in East Timor, small boat operations in support of recovery efforts of the USS Cole during Operation Determined Response, Bi-lateral Training exercises in United Arab Emirates during Operation Iron Magic, and supported operations in the Northern Persian Gulf.
Upon his return from deployment he was assigned as the Battalion Assistant Operations Officer. In May of 2001 then 1stLt Duff was promoted to the rank of Captain. Throughout his assignment as the Asst. Ops O he developed and coordinated non-live and live fire training exercises supporting 1st Tank Battalion's training campaign plan. He served as an observer controller through numerous battalion field exercises, served as the operations officer of the Bravo Command element of 1st Tank Battalion HQ, and served in the Division Red Cell during Desert Scimitar I and II, 1st Marine Division TEWT exercises conducting river crossing operations over the Colorado River, in May 2001 and 2002 respectively. In late May of 2002 he executed PCS orders back to Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
In June of 2002 he assumed command of I Troop, 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment and assumed duties as the Marine Liaison to AOBC for the Marine Detachment aboard Ft. Knox Army Post. He served in this capacity for a period of two years. Following this assignment he was selected to attend the United States Army's Mounted Officer Leaders Course (MOLC) aboard Ft. Knox, Kentucky. He graduated from MOLC in October of 2004 and was again assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Rein).
He checked into 1st Tank Battalion on 10 November 2004 and served for a brief period as an action officer in the operations shop supporting training development and supervising training execution of Steel Knight 04. In January 2005 he assumed command of Company C, 1st Tank Battalion. He commanded the company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05.7 in 2006. Returning from OIF 05.7 in October of 2006 he served as the Battalion Operations Officer until his detachment from the battalion in July of 2007.
In late July of 2007 he reported to Company B, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve in Yakima, Washington. He served as the Inspector-Instructor to Company B for a period of three years. Throughout this time he supported numerous Toys for Tots campaigns in the central Washington state area, supervised and mentored the Reserve Marines assigned to that command, and served as the RBE OIC in support of the company's deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08.2. At this duty station Major Duff was promoted to his current rank in June of 2008, and selected to attend resident PME at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
Major Duff completed the Marine Corps Command and Staff College at the Marine Corps University located in Quantico, Virginia in June of 2011. While attending Command and Staff College he received a Masters Degree in Military Studies from the Marine Corps University. Upon completion of resident school Major Duff reported to his current duty assignment as the Executive Officer of 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Rein).
His personal awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Gold Star in lieu of second award), Army Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, GWOT Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon X 2.