Lt. Col. Douglas “Doug” William Woodard (retired)

Lt Col (Ret.) Douglas “Doug” William Woodard (48) lost the battle to PTSD in Yorktown, Virginia, on November 23, 2023. Doug served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 22 years in multiple international relations and intelligence assignments. His positions included National Security Specialist, Squadron Commander, Political-military Affairs Strategist, and Director of Operations. Doug served in Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Bahrain, Qatar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Germany, Korea, the United Kingdom, and across the United States.
Above all else, Doug was a devoted father. He loved spending time with his children – and the rest of his family – camping, sailing, surfing, hiking, singing karaoke, firing off bottle rockets, playing video games, scuba diving, cooking, reading anything Tom Clancy, John Grisham, or history-related, going to Jimmy Buffet concerts in Paris and beyond, traveling, and joking around with everyone. He was a true outdoorsman, with a deep love of nature. His most recent goal was to through-hike the Appalachian Trail and he made great strides toward its completion. He coached his kids’ sports teams and was active in their clubs. Doug also captained numerous sailing adventures for family and friends in places like Croatia, Belize, Hawaii, Annapolis, Bermuda to New York, and across the Caribbean – with the British Virgin Islands being one of his favorite destinations.
Doug’s family remembers him as a generous, caring person who at age 12 saved up his paper route money to buy a Thanksgiving turkey for the struggling neighbors. In the words of his sisters: “He quite literally, his whole life, gave everything he had to the people he loved, but you would never know it. He loved doing good things, but always did them in secret. He was the definition of random, anonymous acts of kindness, and didn’t believe in recognition, or asking for help. He even fought to change the way soldiers were managed in order to keep their mental health better to hopefully lower suicide rates.”
Doug received numerous military awards and honors throughout his career. Too many to list in their entirety, these include the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, AF Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Recognition Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, Air Force Longevity Service with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Force Training Ribbon.
Doug was born on Altus Air Force Base in Altus, Oklahoma on April 22, 1975, and grew up in Owasso Oklahoma where he ran cross country – including helping carry the Olympic Torch through Oklahoma on its way to Los Angeles for the 1984 games. He also played the bassoon in his high school band, was an honor student, and was a frequent guest of the principal’s for his infamous practical jokes. He earned two Bachelor’s Degrees from Oklahoma State University where he was an active member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. His degrees included one in Russian Language and Literature and a second in Political Science and Government, along with a masters from Georgetown University in International Relations and National Security Studies, and a masters from the University of Madras in Strategic Studies.
Doug is survived by his two children, Jason Patrick Woodard (15) and Elizabeth Claire Woodard (12), their mother Kristen Doyle Woodard; his mother, Marilyn Jo Woodard Mullins; his father, Capt. (Ret.) Bruce Frederick Woodard (Karen); his aunt, Barbara Lynne Murray, his sisters, Shelley Dawn Hutchins (James) and Vicki Lynne Otmani (Christophe), his devoted partner Michelle Ogle Lobpries, nephew August JaeKyun Hutchins, grandmother Mary Jane Nolan, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins whom he loved, and who love him dearly.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 3, 2023 in Amory Funeral Home with military honors.
Instead of flowers, please consider donations to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) at www.taps.org or One More Day at suicide-prevention.org.