Mark O’Donnell
Chief Operating Officer
BG U.S. ARMY, RETIRED
BG (Ret) Mark O’Donnell was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1990. Over the course of 32 years he served in operational assignments with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Ranger Battalion, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade (Alaska), 75th Ranger Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, and 3rd Ranger Battalion. Most recently, Mark served on the joint staff (J3) as the Deputy Director for Operations.
Mark has commanded at the battalion level twice (1-32 Infantry, 1st BCT, 10th Mtn Division and 3rd Ranger Battalion), commanded an Army Brigade Combat Team (1st BCT, 10th Mountain Division), served as the Deputy Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and later as the Deputy Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division. His operational experience includes six deployments to Afghanistan, one to Iraq, and one to Kuwait.
In November 2016, BG (Ret) O’Donnell served as the first Director, Army Strategic Education Program – the CSA’s General Officer education program – at the US Army War College. This program provided executive educational opportunities for the 326 active-duty General Officers, and unique engagements with leaders of corporate America.
BG (Ret) O’Donnell holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, a master’s degree in military arts and Science from the Command and General Staff College, and a master’s degree in Security Studies from the United States Army War College.
BG (Ret) O’Donnell grew up in an Army family and is the son of a career Infantry and Special Forces officer and veteran of the Vietnam War. Mark is married to the former Lauren Cook of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, his high school classmate. They have been married for 32 years and completed every day of their Army journey together. Mark and Lauren have two children — Nicholas (22) and Abby (19). Lauren is an employee at the Army War College, where she works as an Assistant Professor for Military Spouse and Family Studies. Since his retirement from the Army on 1 October, Mark has been serving as a Varsity Soccer Coach at his high school alma mater and joined the Foundation later that same month.
