Nickname(s) "Droopy" Role General Name Mark Clark | Rank Major General Years of service 1981–2014 | |
 | ||
Allegiance United States of America Battles/wars First Gulf War
Operation Deliberate Force
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War Service/branch United States Marine Corps Commands held United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command Battles and wars Gulf War, Operation Deliberate Force, War in Afghanistan, Iraq War | ||
Major General Mark A. “Droopy” Clark was the fourth commander of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). He retired from the Marine Corps in 2014 upon relinquishing command of MARSOC.
Contents
Early life
Clark is a native of Sioux Falls and was raised in South Dakota and Minnesota. He graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commercial Economics in 1980. According to a Q&A interview with the SDSU alumni association while Clark was serving as the Chief of Staff of Special Operations Command he said his most memorable moment while attending SDSU was "without a doubt, Hobo Day."
Military career
Upon completion of Officer Candidate School in June 1981 Clark was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Afterwards, he attended Flight School and was designated a Naval Aviator in May 1983. He was assigned to fly the CH-53 Super Stallion after additional training at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. He participated in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. His first involvement with Special Operations came as a result of a pilot exchange program with the U.S. Air Force where Clark was assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron operating the MH-53J Pave Low. While at the 20th SOS Clark was deployed in support of Operation Deliberate Force during the Bosnian War. In From 2001 to 2002 Clark served as Operations Officer in Task Force K-Bar during the early years of Operation Enduring Freedom. Clark attended the United States Army War College from 2002 to 2003. While a student there he wrote a 67-page Strategy Research Project titled Should the Marine Corps expand its role in special operations. He was the Director of Operations at United States Special Operations Command from 2009 to 2011. While serving as the Director of Operations in January 2011 it was announced by the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, that Clark was nominated for promotion to Major General. In May 2011 he replaced Joseph Votel as SOCOM's Chief of Staff as Votel went off to assume command of Joint Special Operations Command from Admiral William H. McRaven. Clark served as SOCOM's Chief of Staff until August 2012 when he assumed command of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command from Major General Paul E. Lefebvre He is the first MARSOC commander to have served previously at SOCOM.
Awards and badges
Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia
Naval Aviator insignia
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
NATO Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
United States Special Operations Command Badge