SgtMaj Mario A. Marquez, United States Marine Corps, (Ret.)
The 2023 Distinguished Sea Service Award Senior Enlisted awardee is Sergeant Major Mario A. Marquez, United States Marine Corps, (Ret.) Mario Marquez currently serves as the Director for The American Legion’s National Security Division where he is responsible for support and analysis of defense and foreign policy issues. Mario directs policy evaluation and implementation of positions in these fields while providing staff support to the National Security Commission, the seven National Security Committees, and National Leadership. Additionally, Mario supervises liaison with the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Defense, other government and non-governmental organizations, and preparation of numerous written documents to include articles, speeches, testimony, correspondence, and research reports. Previously, he served as Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division, where he managed a staff dedicated to the timely and compassionate delivery of benefits and healthcare earned by U.S. military veterans and drafting and presenting testimony before Congress on all subjects pertaining to veterans’ healthcare and benefits.
Mario retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant Major with more than 31 years of service. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen through military service and is an advocate of granting American citizenship by virtue of military service.
He served in multiple positions across Expeditionary, Ground Combat, Aviation, and Logistics organizations. His duties included serving as a Landing Support Specialist, Drill Instructor, Combat Service Support Chief, Company Gunnery Sergeant, Operations Chief, First Sergeant, and Sergeant Major. The pinnacle of his career was serving as the III Marine Expeditionary Force Sergeant Major, the largest overseas-positioned Marine Corps combat force. During his military service, Mario spent 20 of 31 years deployed or stationed overseas during which he participated in four combat tours in Iraq; supported Operations Inherent Resolve, Southern Watch, and Enduring Freedom in the Middle East; earthquake disaster relief in Japan, and operations in Central America, Africa, and Operation Dynamic Response in Kosovo. His personal decorations include two Legions of Merit, one Bronze Star, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
Mario is an Executive Board Member of The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program. He is also a member of American Legion Post #OC28 and VFW Post #9723 in Okinawa, Japan; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; The Marine Corps League; The Marine Corps Association; The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation; and life member of Disabled American Veterans. He received his Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude, in East Asian Studies and Associate of Arts from the University of Maryland Global Campus and currently resides in the Washington D.C. area with his wife.