Colonel Perry is a native of Flat Rock, North Carolina. He completed his undergraduate education in 1994 at Brigham Young University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in December, 1994. Colonel Perry’s operational commands include service as a Platoon Commander in 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (1996-1999);
Company Commander in 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division (2001-2004); and Battalion Commander, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (2011- 2012). His staff assignments include service as Country Director for Japan, Asia-Pacific Security Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (2004-2007); Battalion Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (2008-2009), Operations Officer, 7th Marine Regiment / RCT-7 (2009-2011); Current Operations Officer I Marine Expeditionary Force (2013-2015); Marine Forces Pacific Liaison Officer to the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Tokyo, Japan (2015-2016); Instructor, MAGTF Staff Training Program, Quantico (2016-2017). Colonel Perry has served in OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM – PHILIPPINES (2002), OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (2009) and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM – AFGHANISTAN (2010 and 2012).
He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, Joint Forces Staff College, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University), and the Japan National Institute for Defense Studies. He holds Masters of Arts degrees in National Security Affairs (NPS) and International Relations (Fletcher).
Colonel Perry’s personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star, the Combat Action Ribbon and the Japan Defense Cooperation Award (foreign award).