LtCol Grass was raised in Southeastern Wisconsin. He was commissioned a 2ndLt in the Marine Corps in May 1999, having completed his undergraduate education in Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Between The Basic School and the Logistics Officer Course 2ndLt Grass was assigned to Recruiting Station Milwaukee, where he served as Assistant Officer Selection Officer from June to July of 2000. In November of 2000 2ndLt Grass was assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group where he served as the Motor Transport Platoon Commander.
In January 2002, 1stLt Grass was transferred to MEU Service Support Group-15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), where he served as Assistant Operations Officer and Operations Officer until September 2003. During this period, 1stLt Grass participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October of 2003, Capt Grass reported to Company M, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego for assignment as a Series Officer.
In August 2005, Capt Grass completed a lateral move and became a Marine Air Ground Task Force Intelligence Officer. In December 2005, Capt Grass was selected to be a Military Transition Team Advisor for the Iraq Army. From January 2006 to January 2007, Capt Grass was engaged in combat operations in Al Anbar, Iraq as the Operations and Intelligence Advisor for 2-3-1 Iraqi Army.
In March 2007, Capt Grass was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment where he served as the Battalion Intelligence Officer. From November 2007 to June 2008, Capt Grass was deployed with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC) in support of the Global War on Terrorism. During this deployment, the 11th MEU (SOC) provided humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh.
Capt Grass was subsequently selected for the Marine Corps’ Intelligence Officer Company Grade Professionalization Program (IOCGPP) and in July of 2008 reported to the Defense Intelligence Agency for assignment as a student at the National Defense Intelligence College. Upon completion of a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence degree in July 2009 he was assigned to the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity for duty as a Strategic Intelligence Fellow within the national Intelligence Community.
Major Grass spent 12 months as a Strategic Intelligence Fellow at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) working in their Strategic Intelligence and National Security Intelligence Sections as well as at the Special Operations Division in DEA’s Counter Narco-Terrorism Operations Center. Following DEA Major Grass was an Interagency Coordination Officer, in the Directorate of Strategic Operational Planning at the National Counterterrorism Center. Here worked on U.S. Government Counterterrorism strategies and policy and led a team of NCTC civilians as part of a domestic Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series.
Major Grass assumed duties as the Intelligence Officer, 5th Marine Regiment in August 2012. During this time he deployed with members of the Regimental Headquarters Company as the foundation of the command element for the inaugural Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC). During this time Major Grass spent three months simultaneously operating as the SPMAGTF S-2 and as the S-2 for Combined/Joint Force that made up Task Force Al Asad in Al-Anbar, Iraq. He was recognized as the Marine Corps’ Intelligence Officer of the Year for this deployment. In June 2017, LtCol Grass assumed command of 1st Intelligence Battalion.
LtCol Grass also has a M.S. in Global Leadership from the Univ of San Diego (’05) and a M.S. in Military Studies from Marine Corps Command and Staff College (’12). His decorations include the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V and two gold stars in lieu of third award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Iraqi Campaign Medal with four campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Humanitarian Assistance Service Medal.