Col. (Ret.) Mark Beckler - In Memorium
Mark Beckler was a retired U.S. Army Colonel. He performed multinational peacekeeping work in Egypt and Israel in the early 1990s. In 1997, Mark received the Boeing Rescue Award for saving human lives and property with a helicopter in Italy. He conducted extensive humanitarian disaster relief in Central America following Hurricane Mitch in 1998-99. Mark also served as an Army Congressional Fellow in 2010 and an Army liaison to Congress in 2011.
He held senior positions supporting the Department of the Army and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, coordinating congressional activities, tracking federal budget requests, authorizations, and appropriations, and preparing senior leaders for congressional testimony and other engagements.
As Commander of a Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Iraq, he led approximately 2,200 soldiers and 180 aircraft in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. His aviation experience included piloting the CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk and overseeing aviation operations, maintenance, logistics, readiness, training, and deployment. He also served on the Joint Staff, advising senior leaders on national security strategy, military readiness, interagency coordination, global campaign planning, and risk management.
His career included experience in strategy development, policy writing, information technology governance, and organizational leadership. With additional experience in the legal profession, including judicial and legal clerkships, he brought a multidisciplinary perspective to complex issues.
Throughout his career, he worked to translate complex operational and policy issues into actionable strategies for senior government officials, military leaders, and policymakers, combining firsthand aviation and command experience with an extensive understanding of the congressional and federal policymaking processes.
Mark enjoyed efforts to explore history through archaeology. He was a distinguished lawyer who enjoyed teaching maritime law to scuba divers and aspiring nautical archaeologists.
The United States Army War College
Master of Arts - MA, Military Operational Art and Science/Studies
The George Washington University
Master of Arts - MA, Political Science and Government
Master of Arts - MA, Social Sciences
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Master of Arts - MA, Advanced Military and Operational Studies
University of Akron School of Law
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Political Science
"In the short time we knew Mark, we could tell he was a great man, a passionate scholar and professional, and an honorable patriot who served our country. We give our deepest condolences to the Beckler family." - Message from the Board of the Space Debris Foundation