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The Salvation Army Western Territory will farewell Commissioners Douglas and Colleen Riley from territorial leadership on Jan. 1, 2026, as Douglas Riley retires from active service. Colleen Riley will take on a new role as Territorial Officers Care and Support Secretary.
From their first appointment as corps officers in Portland to their most recent service as Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries (TPWM), the Rileys’ journey has been defined by their love for people, their steadfast faith and a deep commitment to hope.
For the Rileys, officership has always been rooted in calling and their covenant with God.
“It was emotional,” said Douglas Riley, recalling the moment he signed his officer covenant. “I remember thinking, this is a covenant with God. We were committing our lives to him, not knowing what the next 30 years would look like, but trusting that he would find us useful.”
That trust guided them through seasons of both joy and challenge, especially as they assumed territorial leadership in July 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As I look back and see the storms, the challenges and the hurdles, and I can also see God’s blessings in those times,” he said. “God is more powerful than anything we faced, and as I look back, I see his faithfulness to the mission and to me personally.”
He continued, reflecting on leadership and uncertainty. “Without him as the anchor amidst the storm, I would not have made it. I am flawed, imperfect and yet God does what we cannot even comprehend,” he said. “As leaders, we need to listen, be agile and flexible, so that when the storms come, we can maneuver through them with the guidance of God. I stand in awe and wonder of his amazing love and that he continues to use us and others for his work and ministry here, building the kingdom of God.”
That sense of hope became a hallmark of their leadership—one that those around them say has deeply influenced the culture of the West.
“When the world felt upside down, they stood firm,” said Major Nesan Kistan, Intermountain Divisional Commander. “They rallied behind leaders, sent care packages, addressed mental health needs, and reminded us that we were not alone. They didn’t just speak love—they lived it.
“Doug and Colleen are truly ‘The People’s Commissioners,’” Kistan added. “For them, people aren’t just part of the mission—they are the mission. Their leadership is a rare blend of humility and strength, and their presence instills courage in everyone they encounter.”
Chief Secretary Colonel Eddie Vincent agreed, noting the consistent encouragement the couple offered through it all.
“They have been a constant source of encouragement for me,” Vincent said. “It’s never been a one-time thing, but a pattern of leadership that has impacted my personal life and influenced my leadership practice. They are examples of godly leaders whose hearts are in the right place. People have seen their example of compassion and humility, which many will hopefully emulate in their lives. They are never about rank or position, but always about people. Ultimately, that is the heart of God and the Rileys display his heart beautifully.”
“As I look back and see the storms, the challenges and the hurdles, and I can also see God’s blessings in those times. God is more powerful than anything we faced, and as I look back, I see his faithfulness to the mission and to me personally.”
Commissioner Douglas Riley
From shelters to street corners, youth retreats to hospital rooms, Riley said he’s seen God move in powerful ways—restoring families, transforming lives and meeting people in their deepest need and their most desperate times.
“As a camp counselor being asked to pray with campers because they wanted to accept the Lord. Doing a funeral for a board member’s one-month-old grandchild who suddenly died. Praying with an employee experiencing health concerns…” Douglas Riley recalled. “Memories of God’s presence bring joy and anticipation of what he has in store. I’m ready and looking forward to what he wants to do.”
Upon becoming territorial leader, Commissioner Colleen Riley said, “It is the church’s job to lead with love,” and it’s a tenet the pair has stood by throughout their ministry.
“In the midst of all the demands of being our territorial leaders, they consistently kept people the focus of their ministry,” said Jodianne Mulch, Executive Assistant to the Territorial Commander. “They take time to check in with officers, soldiers and employees alike. Their desire to help people—spiritually, emotionally and practically—was evident every day.”
During their tenure, more than 17.9 million people were served across the West, 504,204 souls were saved, and over 2.4 million attended worship services. More than 1,900 new soldiers—junior and senior—were enrolled, reflecting the focus of the West under their leadership.
“The Rileys are highly relational officers who seek God’s best for every person and for the Army,” said Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley, Northwest Divisional Commander. “Their servant hearts shown through their leadership, desiring that God and his work in and through us would be at the forefront of their ministry.”
The Rileys met at Camp Mt. Crags in Southern California and were married in 1991. Four years later, they were commissioned with the Messengers of Hope Session in 1995. Both lifelong Salvationists—Douglas a fourth-generation and Colleen a fifth—they carried forward a family legacy of ministry, serving in appointments across the West, including six years at Portland Moore Street Corps and divisional leadership in Del Oro and Southern California.
Colleen Riley served as the TPWM and also as Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, anchoring her ministry in Isaiah 43:19: See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? The first Holiness Retreat started under their leadership, helping everyone to know holiness is available for everyone.
“There’s just so much desert out there right now, you don’t see what God is doing right in front of you,” she said, “and yet he still promises that we’re going to have streams in the wasteland—that he is doing a new thing. Only he knows what that is so we are trusting in him.”
Douglas Riley encouraged creativity and boldness in ministry.
“We can’t be afraid to step out into new areas that God is leading us to,” he said. “Take some risks for kingdom’s sake.”
That spirit of innovation led to initiatives like mass drive-through feedings during the pandemic, a prayer initiative to gather weekly at the flag pole for prayer, a focus on discipleship and evangelism that led to the Testify Congress, growing local engagement of advisory boards, developing the Territorial Advisory Board, and adaptive retreats for young adults with special needs, which have since expanded across the territory, offering a model of inclusion and care that reflects The Salvation Army’s mission to serve the most vulnerable.
“We have some incredible young adults across this territory who are deeply spiritual, who want to know more about the Lord, who want to be in community,” Colleen Riley said. “Their thirst and their desire for that is so exciting, because that shows me that the future of the church is secure.”
As people who love God, love people and truly care, the Rileys’ leadership left a lasting impact on the West and beyond. Now, as they step into a new chapter, excited to see where God leads, the Rileys expressed gratitude for those who have blessed them along this journey.
“Draw close to God, pray more and encourage more,” Douglas Riley urged the next generation of officers. “This will be the strength that carries you through trying and difficult times and then stop and see what God has done. He’s faithful.”
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