Craig R. Wonson

Military Professor & Senior Service Advisor Maritime Advanced Warfighting School

Col., U.S. Marine Corps

Biography

Col. Wonson is a military professor at the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School and senior service representative to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. A career infantry officer, joint qualified officer, and certified strategic-operational planner, he is a combat veteran with nearly thirty years of service, seven overseas deployments and more than a decade of command experience. He is a graduate of Marine Corps Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting, and was a Marine Corps Fellow in Yale University's International Security Studies Program/Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. He most recently served as commanding officer, Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group.

Contact Information

(401) 841-4862

Craig.Wonson@usnwc.edu

Areas of Expertise

Amphibious Warfare
COIN
Command and Control
Ground Warfare
Leadership
Military Planning
Operational Warfare
Wargaming

Professional Highlights

2016

Military Professor, Strategy & Policy Department, Naval War College

2014

Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group, MCB Twenty-nine Palms, CA

2013

Deputy, Amphibious Warfare Branch, N-95, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington D.C.

2012

Marine Corps Fellow, International Security Studies Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT

2011

Future Operations Officer, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA

2009

Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, CA

2007

Director, Joint SOF Assessments Branch, J7, U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL

2005

Future Operations Planner, G3, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA

2003

Student, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, VA

2000

Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, CA

Education

Fellow, Yale University, 2012, International Security Studies

M.A., Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, 2005, Operational Studies

M.A., Marine Corps Command & Staff College, 2004, Military Studies

M.A., National University, 1998, Public Administration

B.A., University of Connecticut, 1992, History & Political Science

Related Credentials

Lean Six-Sigma
Green Belt

Research Contributions and Publications

Publications by this Professor

Awards and Decorations

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star
With combat distinguishing device

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal
4 Medals

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal

Combat Action Ribbon

Presidential Unit Citation

Joint Meritorious Unit Award

Navy Unit Commendation Medal
2 Medals

Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal
2 Medals

National Defense Service Medal
2 Medals

Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

Navy Sea Service Ribbon
7 Ribbons

NATO Medal

Drill Instructor Ribbon

External Memberships and Associations

First Marine Division Association
Life Member

Marine Corps Association
Life Member

U.S. Naval Institute
Life Member

Veterans of Foreign Wars
Life Member

Naval War College Foundation
Life Member

Knights of Columbus

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