Lieutenant Colonel Bates assumed command of the Empire Battalion in June 2024.
Bates earned his commission in 2008. Trained first as a Logistics Officer in 2009 and then as a Special Operations Officer in 2012, he completed deployments to Central Command, Africa Command, and Indo-Pacific Command areas of operation. As a Logistics Officer, he served in a variety of billets including Group Motor Transport Officer, Embarkation Officer, and Assistant Group Logistics Officer. As a Special Operations Officer, he served as a Marine Special Operations Team Commander and Officer-In-Charge of a Special Operations Forces Liaison Element. Bates transitioned to the Marine Corps Reserve in 2016.
In the 4th Marine Division, Bates served as a Rifle Company Commander, Battalion Operations Officer, and Battalion Executive Officer. Before his current billet, he served as a Joint Planner with the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, supporting II Marine Expeditionary Force; Headquarters, U.S. Air Force; and Headquarters, U.S. Space Force.
Bates holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Naval Academy, a Master of Business Administration from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a graduate of multiple planning, intelligence, and specialized insertion courses including the Joint Planners Course, Advanced Maneuver Warfare Course, Special Operations Planning Course, Air Assault School, the Basic Airborne Course, and the Marine Corps Combatant Dive Course.