Lieutenant Colonel Mark E. George is the is the Chief of the Development Division at the Center for Character and Leadership Development, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. The Center’s mission is to serve the Air Force Academy by advancing character and leadership development to prepare graduates for service to the nation. He is responsible for supporting professional development for cadets, faculty, and staff, and integrating character and leadership development programs across the 4,000-member Cadet Wing.

Lieutenant Colonel George grew up in Georgetown, Texas and received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) Detachment 840 at Texas State University – San Marcos, Texas in 2007. Lieutenant Colonel George has served in a variety of acquisition roles. He has deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NEW DAWN. In 2013, he earned his unlimited contracting warrant and was appointed as a procuring contracting officer for the Theater Battle Control Division, Battle Management Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. In 2014, Lieutenant Colonel George attended the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) where he earned his master’s in business administration. In 2018, Lieutenant Colonel George served as the Command Contracting Inspector for the Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio where he provided the Commander with an independent assessment of the Command’s readiness, effectiveness, and efficiency. Lieutenant Colonel George deployed to the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan in support of Operations RESOLUTE SUPPORT and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL as the NATO Chief of the Contract Enabling Cell.

Prior to this assignment, Lieutenant Colonel George served as the Commander of the Albuquerque Military Entrance Processing Station, 3rd Battalion, United States Military Entrance Processing Command, Albuquerque, New Mexico where he led 42 military and civilian personnel in the administration of over 6,000 aptitude, special, and language proficiency exams, 1,600 medical exams, and the accession and enlistments of over 2,000 applicants into the Armed Forces annually. Lieutenant Colonel George’s greatest accomplishments during his career are marrying his wife, Melissa, and raising their two children: Austin and Emery.

2007 Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Marketing, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas

2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

2015 Masters of Business Administration, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California

2020 Air Command and Staff College, correspondence

Jun 2007 – Jan 2008 Government Purchase Card Agency Organization Program Coordinator for 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Feb 2008 – Oct 2009 Contract Specialist Base Operational Support Flight 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Nov 2009 – Jan 2010 Contract Specialist NORAD-USNORTHCOM Advisory and Assistance Services 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Feb 2010 – Jun 2010 Contract Specialist Base Infrastructure Flight 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

Jun 2010 – Apr 2011 Flight Commander Base Infrastructure Flight 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

May 2011 – Nov 2011 Flight Commander Support Services Flight, 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

Dec 2011 – Jun 2012 Contracts Manager Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts

Jun 2012 – Aug 2013 Executive Officer to the Director of Contracting, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts

Sept 2013 – June 2014 Procuring Contracting Officer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts

Jun 2014 – Dec 2016 MBA Candidate Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Jan 2016 – Dec 2018 Deputy Flight Chief 338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, AETC, Joint Base San Antonio—Randolph AFB, Texas

Jan 2019 – Oct 2020 Command Contracting Inspector Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Nov 2020 – May 2021 Chief Contracting Enabling Cell Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan

Jun 2021 – Jun 2023 Commander, Albuquerque Military Entrance Processing Station, 3rd Battalion, United States Military Entrance Processing Command – Albuquerque, New Mexico

July 2023 – Present Chief, Development Division, Center for Character and Leadership Development, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (1 oak leaf cluster)

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal (1 oak leaf cluster)

Air Force Achievement Medal

Lance P. Sijan (FGO) Award Winner, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Inspector General

Naval Postgraduate School – Graduate School of Business and Public Policy Outstanding Thesis Award