Lieutenant Commander McDonald is a native of Leavenworth, Kansas and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in September 1995 as a Hospital Corpsman. He served for 18 years obtaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer until his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps in April 2013. In 1995, he attended Recruit Training Center Great Lakes, Hospital Corpsmen “A” School, San Diego, and Field Medical Service School, Camp Pendleton, CA. From 1996-1999 he deployed twice to Okinawa as Senior Line Corpsmen, India Company, 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division 29 Palms, CA. From 1999 to 2003 he worked as the Overseas Screening Coordinator and Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Officer in Patient Administration, US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan. In 2003, he transferred to 2nd Battalion 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. He deployed for his first combat tour in Ramadi, Iraq, earning his Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Enlisted Warfare device. In 2005, he deployed for a combat tour embedded for 13 months on a ten-man advisor team with 3rd Battalion 7th Regimental Iraqi National Police Commando Brigade in Baghdad. In 2007, he transferred back to USNH Yokosuka for three years, serving as the Leading Petty Officer for Patient Administration and then the Directorate for Nursing Services.

It was through these experiences, witnessing the skill and compassion of nurses managing the diseased and wounded, that he knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He subsequently applied and was accepted for the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program in 2009. He reported for Duty Under Instruction in 2010, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of South Carolina in 2013. Upon commissioning and completion of Officer Developmental School at Newport, Rhode Island, he arrived at US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan in September 2013 and reported to the Multi-Service Unit. He served as staff and charge nurse obtaining his national certification as a Medical Surgical Registered Nurse. He transferred to the Primary Care Medical home in 2015, to begin his ambulatory care nursing practice. Transferring to U.S. Naval Hospital Bremerton, Washington in September of 2016, he served as staff nurse and Team Lead on Muli-Service Unit Five for two years with one year as the Internal Medicine Clinic Manager. He transferred to Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command Yokosuka from 2019 until 2022 serving as the Clinic Manager for Obstetrics and Gynecology, supported the Multi-Service Unit inpatient unit and obtained his national certification as an Ambulatory Care Nurse.

In August of 2022, he transferred to Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command Rota Spain where he presently serves as a Medical Home Port Clinic Nurse with an emphasis on Internal Medicine and Diabetic Education and is the Command MHS Genesis Patient Portal Champion. He is married with three children. He enjoys participating in church activities, Boy Scouts, hiking, camping, and spending quality time with his family. Lieutenant Commander McDonald’s personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor (one Gold Star), Army Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (one Silver Star), Combat Action Ribbon, and various unit and service awards.