Colonel (Ret) Mark Leonard

Mark Leonard retired as the Director of Mobilization for the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reserve Affairs in Washington, D.C. after more than 24 years of military service. He developed and implemented mobilization policy for the Department of Defense.  He oversaw the mobilization of more than 400,000 Reserve Component service members in response to missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other deployment demands throughout the world.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Armor through the Gonzaga University Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1986.    Mark served 4 years in the Active Army with the 3rd Armored Division, 4th/8th Cavalry in Gelnhausen, Germany.  After his time in Germany, Mark returned to Idaho where he joined the Idaho National Guard serving in the 116th Cavalry Brigade.  In the 116th he served as a Executive Officer, Maintenance Officer, Intelligence Officer and Commander.

He served in Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) positions for more than 15 years at the national level. Various assignments include Simulation staff officer; Executive Officer for the Army National Guard Operations Officer (G-3); Senior National Guard Advisor to Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command; Department of the Army Training Program Evaluation Group (PEG) analyst, Chief of Individual Training Branch, National Guard Bureau and Deputy Director of Mobilization, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Studies from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington.  He attended Boise State University and was certified in Secondary Education from the state of Idaho.  He holds an MBA in Engineering and Technology Management from City University and a Masters of Strategic Studies form the Army War College.