COMMANDER Mark Sohaney

COMMANDING OFFICER

UNITED STATED NAVY

Commander Sohaney enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a SONAR Technician in 1987.  During his enlistment, he served onboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG-57) home ported in San Diego, California.  He deployed to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM.  In 1993 he was selected for a commissioning program at NROTC San Diego.  He graduated from San Diego State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Summa Cum Laude.  He was designated a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) May 1997.

His first operational tour was with the “Golden Swordsmen” of Patrol Squadron FOUR SEVEN, NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii.  He served as Personnel Officer, Readiness Officer, and NFO Training Officer.  He deployed to Diego Garcia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Japan. 

Commander Sohaney reported to Patrol Squadron THIRTY, NAS Jacksonville, Florida in August 2001.  He served as Strike Operations Officer in the Weapons Tactics Unit, and NFO Training Officer.  He qualified as P-3C Weapons Tactics Instructor, Fleet NATOPS Evaluator, and was named VP-30 Association of Naval Aviation NFO of the Year for 2003.

In February 2004, Commander Sohaney was assigned as the Flag Secretary to Commander, Carrier Strike Group FIVE, embarked aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63) forward-deployed in Yokosuka, Japan.  In November 2006, he reported to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.  He graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.

Commander Sohaney reported to Patrol Squadron NINE, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in May 2007.  During his department head tour, he served as the Tactics Officer, Multi-National Force-Iraq Liaison Officer, Future Operations Officer, and Operations Officer.  The “Golden Eagles” deployed to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.   

In October 2009, Commander Sohaney was assigned to United States Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii.  He was selected to serve as Executive Assistant to the Director for Strategic Planning and Policy (J-5) and Country Director for Australia and New Zealand.