CDR Mark Lawrence
Commanding Officer (June 2019 - November 2020) |
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Commander Mark Lawrence was raised in London and New York, and graduated in 2000 from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with a B.S. in International Politics.
At sea, CDR Lawrence served in USS ANZIO (CG 68) as Gunnery Officer, Combat Information Center Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, and Air Defense Officer, deploying to SIXTH and FIFTH Fleet areas during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. He completed his department head tours in USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CG 57) as Weapons Officer, Combat Systems Officer, and Senior Watch Officer, deploying twice to SEVENTH and FIFTH Fleets. Most recently, CDR Lawrence served as Executive Officer in USS PAUL HAMILTON (DDG 60).
Ashore, CDR Lawrence served as the Director for NATO and European Strategic Affairs on the National Security Council in The White House, as the Navy’s Federal Executive Fellow to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as an action officer in the Europe and NATO Policy directorate of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as the speechwriter to the 29th Chief of Naval Operations. Previously, he also served in several capacities in the Strategy and Policy branch of the Navy Staff, at U.S. THIRD Fleet headquarters, and at the Center for Naval Analyses.
CDR Lawrence earned a M.A. in Security Studies with Honors at Georgetown and completed Joint Professional Military Education with distinction through the U.S. Naval War College. He is joint qualified and holds the naval strategist and political-military affairs subspecialties.
CDR Lawrence assumed command of USS PAUL HAMILTON (DDG 60) in June 2019.