Lieutenant Colonel Paul L. Muller was born in 1966 in Levittown, New York. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1988 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. After attending The Basic School and Armor Officer Basic Course, he was assigned as a tank platoon commander in 2d Tank Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

While a Lieutenant, he commanded various tank platoons with 2d Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Assault Battalion, Battalion Landing Team 3/7, 3d Tank Battalion during OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, and the Marine Barracks Ground Defense/Security Force, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Promoted to Captain in October 1992, he finished his tour in Cuba as the S-3 Operations Officer for the
Ground Defense/Security Force.

From Cuba, Captain Muller reported to Quantico, Virginia to attend the Command and Control Systems Course. Upon graduation, he was again assigned to 2d Tank Battalion as the Maintenance Management Officer. In October 1994, he redeployed to Guantanamo Bay, serving as the J-3 Plans Officer for Joint Task Force – 160, in OPERATION SEA SIGNAL. In May 1995, he returned to Camp Lejeune to command Company C, 2d Tank Battalion.

Following company command, he transferred to Boise, Idaho, where he served as the Inspector-Instructor for Company C, 4th Tank Battalion. During his tenure as an advisor with the USMCR, Captain Muller was promoted to Major in June of 1998.

He next reported to the Assistant Chief of Staff G-5, Marine Forces Pacific, in July 1999, where he served as the Pacific Theater Policy and International Affairs Officer. While in this billet, Major Muller was designated as an East Asia Regional Affairs Officer. In February 2002, he reported to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, serving as the Battalion Executive Officer until June 2003, completing a unit deployment program rotation to Camp Hansen, Okinawa during this period.

After his infantry tour, Major Muller was reassigned to Washington, D.C. for a tour on the Joint Staff, in the J-5 Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, and was promoted to his current rank in January 2004. He served first in the Detainee Affairs Division, and then as Chief, Coalition Operations Branch and J-5 liaison to the Joint IED Defeat Task Force from July 2003 until July 2006. From Washington, Lieutenant Colonel Muller was assigned as the Deputy Future Operations Officer and Exercises Officer in the G-3, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. Most recently, he attended the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island from August 2007 to June 2008, earning a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Lieutenant Colonel Muller’s personal decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with “V” device and four gold stars, the Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Lieutenant Colonel Muller is married to the former Heidi Renée Herron. Mrs. Muller serves as a Branch Chief, Acquisition Services Directorate, U.S. Department of the Interior.