Veterans for America First (VFAF) Official Endorsement: Col. George W. Markert V for U.S. Senate Colorado I just finished a long, no-nonsense sit-down with retired Marine Colonel George Markert, and let me tell you… the man is exactly what Colorado and this country need in the Senate right now.
Most of you already know my story. I live the Army Values every single day, whether I was downrange or walking the halls of Congress. When I see another leader who carries himself the same way: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage, I don’t hesitate.
Col. Markert is cut from that same cloth. He’s led Marines in combat, commanded at every level, made the hard calls under fire, and never once put his own career ahead of the mission or the men to his left and right. That kind of proven character is rare in politics today. Washington is full of people who talk tough on TV but fold the minute things get uncomfortable.
George Markert has already stared down real enemies on real battlefields. The clowns in DC don’t scare him. Colorado families are watching their cost of living explode, our border stay wide open, and our kids get short-changed by a broken system. We don’t need another career politician who learned how to “work the room.” We need a Marine who knows how to finish the mission.
Veterans for America First doesn’t hand out endorsements lightly. We’ve looked at dozens of races this cycle, and Col. Markert stands head and shoulders above the rest. He’ll put country over party, people over politics, and he’ll never back down when the fight is for what’s right.
So here it is, official and unequivocal: Veterans for America First proudly endorses Col. George W. Markert V for United States Senate. Colorado, let’s send a battle-tested Marine to Washington and remind the Senate what real leadership looks like.
Semper Fi, Colonel. The VFAF team has your six all the way to victory.
CPT Robert M. Cornicelli USARNG (Ret)/Navy Veteran, President, Veterans for America First
Colonel George Markert is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attended college at Virginia Tech and was commissioned a second lieutenant in December 1993. Following graduation from the Basic School and the Logistics Officer Basic Course, Lieutenant Markert was assigned to 2d Landing Support Battalion, 2d Force Service Support Group (FSSG) at Camp Lejeune, NC. During his tour with 2d FSSG he deployed with numerous task-organized combat service support units, to include CSSD-61, JTF-160, Operation SEA SIGNAL in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, CSSD-66 in support of Exercise BATTLE GRIFFIN in Norway, CSSD-27 during Combined Arms Exercises (CAX) 9/10-96, and II MEF (FWD) during Exercise BALTIC CHALLENGE in Estonia. After being promoted to Captain in January 1998, he deployed as the logistics officer for MEU Service Support Group-26 and supported Operation JOINT GUARD in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In September 1998, Captain Markert was assigned to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, CA, where he served on the Division staff and at 3d Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. From 1999-2001 he completed CAX 2-00, pre-deployment training with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and deployed to the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, where he participated in Operation STABILISE in East Timor and Operation DETERMINED RESPONSE, supporting the recovery of the USS COLE after a terrorist attack in Aden, Yemen.
In May 2001, Captain Markert was transferred to I MEF Headquarters Group and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), where he deployed with 1st MEB to Egypt for Exercise BRIGHT STAR and subsequently to Kuwait as a member of Coalition/Joint Task Force-CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
In January 2003 Captain Markert reported to Expeditionary Strike Group One and deployed in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa. He was promoted to Major in October 2003. During summer 2004, Major Markert attended intermediate level school in Quantico, Virginia, and following graduation served as Commanding Officer, Kilo Company at Officer Candidates School. He was then assigned to Headquarters, Marine Corps from 2005-2008, where he served as the Logistics/Motor Transport Occupational Field Sponsor and Prepositioning Programs Section Head within the Department of Installations and Logistics.
In July 2008 Major Markert reported to the 3rd Marine Regiment in Kaneohe Bay, HI, where he participated in Exercise RIMPAC and then deployed as the logistics officer for Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Afghanistan and Regimental Combat Team-3, participating in numerous named operations, to include Operation KHANJAR in Helmand Province. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in October 2009.
In December 2009 Lieutenant Colonel Markert reported to Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and assumed duties as the Plans, Operations, and Exercises Branch Head in the G-4, where he routinely participated in Exercises KEY RESOLVE and ULCHI FREEDOM GUARDIAN in Korea, and also supported Operations TOMODACHI and PACIFIC PASSAGE following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
Lieutenant Colonel Markert served as the Commanding Officer, Combat Logistics Battalion 13 from November 2011 to June 2014, leading the battalion through pre-deployment training and a deployment with the 13th MEU, conducting exercises and training in India, Southeast Asia, South Korea, the Middle East, and the Horn of Africa.
Following completion of battalion command and Top Level School, he served as a CNO Fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group (SSG) in Newport, RI, where he was promoted to Colonel.
Colonel Markert’s personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.
Colonel Markert is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the Naval War College, the U.S. Army Airborne School, and the U.S. Navy Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) Course. He holds a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and a Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
