Lieutenant Colonel Mark W. Bock Jr. was born in State College, Pennsylvania, and raised in Virginia by his parents Mary Bock and Captain Mark Bock Sr., USN (Ret). Lieutenant Colonel Bock graduated from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, in 2008, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He completed the Officer Candidates School Platoon Leaders Class and received a commission as a second lieutenant in May 2008. Lieutenant Colonel Bock graduated from The Basic School at MCB Quantico in January 2009 and reported to NAS Pensacola for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination. He completed primary flight training at VT-6 and was selected to fly the KC-130J Super Hercules. Lieutenant Colonel Bock completed advanced aviation training at VT-31 at NAS Corpus Christi, where he earned his Naval Aviator wings on the Commodore's List with Distinction on 11 February 2011.
Lieutenant Colonel Bock reported to the KC-130J Aviation Training Unit at MCAS Miramar to earn designation as a KC-130J pilot and was subsequently assigned to VMGR-352, the Raiders. As a Raider, from August 2011 through June 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Bock executed two combat deployments in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, flying both assault support missions and close air support missions as a Harvest HAWK pilot and fire control operator. He also flew humanitarian aid missions in the Philippines as part of Operation Damayan and attended the Aviation Safety Officer Course in NAS Pensacola. His billets included adjutant, detachment director of safety and standardization, and aviation safety officer.
In the summer of 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Bock was selected by the Commandant’s Career-Level Education Board to attend Expeditionary Warfare School at MCB Quantico. Upon graduation, he received orders to the KC-130J Fleet Replacement Detachment at MCAS Cherry Point, where he served as a Fleet Replacement Squadron Instructor, Detachment Operations Officer, KC-130J NATOPS Evaluator, and CRM Program Manager. During this time Lieutenant Colonel Bock earned designations as a NATOPS Instructor, Harvest HAWK Instructor, Night Systems Instructor, Low Altitude Tactics Instructor, and Division Lead. In the spring of 2016, he attended Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 16-2 and was designated as a Weapons and Tactics Instructor, Strategic Refueling Area Commander, and Flight Leadership Standardization Evaluator.
Lieutenant Colonel Bock received orders to MAWTS-1 at MCAS Yuma as a KC-130 instructor pilot from July 2018 to June 2021. He performed duties as KC-130 Division Head, Air Delivery SME, Harvest HAWK SME, and the USMC Air-to-Air Refueling Model Manager. He led the rewrite of numerous KC-130 tactical publications, served as the USMC air-to-air refueling liaison to the NATO Military Committee Air Standardization Board and developed the TTPs and qualification syllabus for an upgraded Harvest HAWK system.
In the summer of 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Bock was selected by the Commandant’s Professional Intermediate-Level Education Board to attend Command and Staff College at MCB Quantico, where he was a distinguished graduate and a Gray Scholar. In July 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Bock reported to VMGR-352 where he served as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer and Executive Officer. As AMO, he led the effort to configure 3 special mission aircraft for the first service-supported transpacific air-to-air refueling mission of USMC fighter aircraft in 40 years. In November 2023 Lieutenant Colonel Bock was assigned to the MAG-11 Headquarters staff to prepare for command assignment.
Lieutenant Colonel Bock’s personal awards include Air Medal with eleven Strike Flight Awards, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Lieutenant Colonel Bock holds a Master of Science in economics from Purdue University and a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University. He is married to Sara Bock, and they have a daughter, Addison, and a son, Ryder.