Lieutenant Colonel John E. Campbell is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Richmond in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and was commissioned in August 2007. He subsequently attended The Basic School and Infantry Officer Course.
In July 2008, Second Lieutenant Campbell reported to 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, where he served as a Platoon Commander and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009. He was promoted to First Lieutenant during this deployment. In 2010, he deployed again in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with Regimental Combat Team 2, serving as the Senior Watch Officer before cross-decking to 1st Battalion, 2d Marines, where he continued as a Platoon Commander. He later deployed with 3d Battalion, 2d Marines as a Mobile Assault Platoon Commander. He was promoted to Captain in October 2011.
From January 2012 to January 2015, Captain Campbell served as a Maneuver Controller with Team East, Tactical Training Exercise Control Group (TTECG), at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. Following his tour with TTECG, he attended the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course from February to July 2015.
He next reported to 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, joining the unit on deployment in Al Jaber, Kuwait, where he served as the Assistant Operations Officer. He assumed command of Lima Company in November 2015 and deployed to Al Taqaddum, Iraq, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from September 2016 to April 2017.
In July 2017, Captain Campbell reported to 2d Battalion, 23d Marines, where he served as the Golf Company Inspector-Instructor. He was promoted to Major in October 2017. While on Inspector-Instructor duty, he completed the CDET Command and Staff course, earned an MBA with a specialization in Real Estate from Florida State University, and graduated from the Advanced Maneuver Warfare Course.
Major Campbell reported to 3d Battalion, 4th Marines in June 2021 as the Executive Officer. He deployed with the battalion to Okinawa in support of the Unit Deployment Program from September 2022 to March 2023.
In June 2023, he assumed duties as the 7th Marines Operations Officer and was promoted to his current rank of Lieutenant Colonel in August 2023.
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell served as the School of Infantry–West Operations Officer from July 2024 to June 2025. In June 2025, he assumed command of Headquarters and Support Battalion, School of Infantry–West.