Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Pursel was born in Twentynine Palms, CA and is a native of Hubert, NC. He was commissioned into the Marine Corps in August 2008. Upon completion of the Basic Officer Course, he was assigned to flight training in Manassas, VA, followed by Pensacola, FL. In October 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel was redesignated as a Logistics Officer.
Lieutenant Colonel Pursel assumed the duties of Logistics Officer and Headquarters and Services Company Commander for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 at Cherry Point, NC. From February 2012 to January 2013, he deployed to Afghanistan as part of Police Advisor Team - Nowzad. From January to July 2013, he served as the Motor Transportation Company Commander with MWSS-271.
In July 2013, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel assumed the position of Engineer Support Company Commander, followed by Battalion Logistics Officer with the 8th Engineer Support Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC. In March 2014, he was appointed as the MAGTF Logistics Officer for Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – U.S. Southern Command, operating out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.
In February 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel reported to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) in Indian Head, MD, where he assumed the duties of Battalion Logistics Officer. In January 2017, he was appointed as Reaction Force Company Commander.
In July 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel was reassigned to 2d Marine Division G4, where he served as the Logistics Plans Officer, followed by G4 Operations Officer. During this time, he was responsible for planning and executing the 2d Marine Division’s deployment to the Marine Warfighting Exercise 1. In January 2020, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel was reassigned to 2d Marine Regiment as the Regimental Logistics Officer. In July 2021, he was selected to attend the Army Command and General Staff College.
In July 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Pursel reported to III MEF Information Group as the Group S4. In July 2024, he was reassigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 3 as the Executive Officer. Lieutenant Colonel Pursel was selected for Command in 2024 and will assume command of CLB-4 in December 2025.
Lieutenant Colonel Pursel is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Army Command and General Staff College, Expeditionary Warfare School, the Intermediate MAGTF Logistics Officers Course, the Joint Humanitarian Operations Course, and the Security Cooperation Planners Course. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars. Lieutenant Colonel Pursel holds a Master’s in Supply Chain Management from the University of Kansas, a Master’s in Operational Studies from the Army Command and General Staff College, and a Bachelor’s in History from Virginia Tech.