Mark Hanford graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2014 and reported to The Basic School as a Second Lieutenant.
In April 2015, Second Lieutenant Hanford graduated from The Basic School and reported to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for Military Police Basic Officer Course with the US Army.
In August 2015, Second Lieutenant Hanford graduated from Military Police Basic Officer Course where he earned Honor Graduate of his class.
In September 2015, Second Lieutenant Hanford reported to Marine Corps Base Butler, Okinawa Japan where he served as the officer in charge for the Provost Marshal’s Office at Ie-Shima Training Center, Camp Gonsalves, Camp Hansen, and Camp Schwab.
From September to November 2017 Frist Lieutenant Hanford attended Civil Military Operations Planners course and Civil Affairs Officer Course for subsequent duty with III Marine Expeditionary Force Civil Affairs. First Lieutenant Hanford was promoted to Captain and participated in numerous training exercises and engineering civic action programs in the Indo-Pacific region.
Upon his EAS, Captain Hanford direct affiliated into the reserves with Bravo Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion. Upon graduating Assault Amphibian Officer’s Course, Captain Hanford deployed as a platoon commander with Alpha Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion on Unit Deployment Program (UDP) 19.2.
Following UDP 19.2, Captain Hanford attended Resident Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia from August 2020 to May 2021.
In October 2021 Captain Hanford reported to Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, in Stuttgart Germany serving as a current operations officer until December 2022.
Captain Hanford reported to Littoral Craft Company Delta, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion in October 2023 as the Company Executive Officer until taking command of Littoral Craft Company Charlie (LCC C) in April 2024. In July 2024 Captain Hanford was promoted to Major, while deployed for training with LCC C at a Colombian Naval Infantry riverine combat course.
Major Hanford took command of Headquarters and Service Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion in February of 2025.
Major Hanford’s personal awards include Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
Captain Hanford is a graduate of the University of Florida and Expeditionary Warfare School.