Colonel DeLeal is a native of St. Louis, Missouri and a fourth-generation U.S. Marine. He is a “Mustang” officer who served tours in III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan and US Embassies Mozambique and Germany prior to commissioning. He is a MAGTF Intelligence Officer, MAGTF Planner, Strategic Planner, Foreign Area Officer – Africa, and Regional Affairs Officer – Northeast Asia.
Colonel DeLeal has served as Platoon Commander, Radio Reconnaissance Platoon, and Commanding Officer, Bravo Company, 2d Radio Battalion; Commanding Officer, Echo Company, 2d Intelligence Battalion; and Commanding Officer, 3d Intelligence Battalion
His staff and joint assignments include Executive Officer, Bravo Company, 2d Radio Battalion; Future Operations Officer, 2d Radio Battalion; Aide-de-Camp to Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force; G-2 Operations Officer, 2d Marine Division; Foreign Area Officer, US Embassy Senegal; C-2 Senior Intelligence Analyst-Fusion Officer, Regional Command Southwest, Afghanistan; Operations Officer, 2d Intelligence Battalion; MAGTF Plans Officer, Marine Corps Forces Korea; Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow, US Department of State; and Marine Attache, Defense Attache Office, US Embassy France.
Colonel DeLeal deployed multiple times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2004-2007), Operation Enduring Freedom Trans-Sahara (2012), and Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan (2012-2013). He is the 2013 LtCol Michael D. Kuszewski Marine Corps Intelligence Officer of the Year while serving in 2d Intelligence Battalion, the 2013 Marine Corps Intelligence Unit of the Year. Colonel DeLeal earned a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and Classical Studies from Washington University in St. Louis.
He has Master of Arts degrees in Security Studies (Middle East, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa), Military Studies, and Operational Studies. He graduated with honors from The Basic School, US Army Basic Airborne (Officer Honor Graduate), Expeditionary Warfare School (non-resident), USMC Command and Staff College (Distinguished Graduate), School of Advanced Warfighting, Naval Postgraduate School, Defense Language Institute, MAGTF Intelligence Officer Course, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, and Joint Military Attache School.