Charles Marks

Charles (Chuck) Marks is an Associate Dean and Professional Military Education (PME) Expert at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. A decorated, 30-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, Chuck served as a Surface Warfare Officer, a fiscal policy advisor, a strategic planner, and a Middle East, NATO and United Nations specialist. Specifically, he led Iran campaign planning on behalf of U.S. Central Command and served as the Chief of Plans for both the NATO and U.S. missions in Afghanistan. During his last five years in the Navy, he was the subject matter expert on building inclusive cultures to improve organizational climate in the Navy and to help counter destructive behaviors such as sexual assault, suicide, domestic violence, substance abuse, and gun violence. He has held multiple commands both ashore and afloat, and has served overseas in Europe, the Middle East, and Afghanistan.

In September 2020, he joined the Near East South Asia Regional Center at the National Defense University as an Associate Dean, focused on supporting Saudi Arabia in the transformation of their National Defense University. In October 2021, he was appointed as the Provost leading the effort to design the future Saudi Arabia National Defense University, overseeing a combined team of U.S., U.K., and Saudi planners and faculty. In April 2022, he shifted focus to developing professional military education partnerships across the region.

Chuck is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, attended the Sorbonne University in Paris, holds a master’s degree from the National Defense University in National Security Studies, and graduated from the German basic and intermediate courses at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA.