Colonel Marc L. Church is the Deputy Commander for Sustainment, 492d Special Operations Wing (SOW) located at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The 492 SOW operates the C-146, MC-130J, U-28, and OA-1K, and leads training and education of Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel in various additional aircraft. The wing also develops competitive SOF mission concepts and flexible response options in support of combatant commander requirements.
Colonel Church received his commission as the distinguished military graduate from ROTC at Brigham Young University in 2002. He completed Undergraduate Navigator Training in April 2004. Additionally, Col Church is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.
Prior to his current assignment, Col Church was the Operations Officer at the 4th Special Operations Squadron and the Commander of the 73d Special Operations Squadron. Col Church commanded a joint force of Army, Navy, and Air Force special operators as the Special Operations Command – Forward, Mexico commander. Col Church is a Master Navigator with more than 2,000 flying hours in the AC-130U, AC-130W, MC-130W, Q-200, and T-43. He flew combat missions totaling more than 800 hours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
2008 Master’s Degree, Operations Management, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2009 Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, NV
2016 Master’s Degree, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2017 Master of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
2018 Air War College by Correspondence
2024 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2003 – April 2004, student, undergraduate navigator training, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 2004 – April 2005, AC-130U Navigator Trainee, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. April 2005 – January 2009, AC-130U Navigator, Instructor Navigator, Resource Advisor, Scheduling Officer,
Executive Officer, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
4. January 2009 – June 2009, student, USAF Weapons School, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
5. June 2009 – July 2011, Chief of AC-130 Weapons and Tactics, HQ AFSOC, Hurlburt Field, FL
6. July 2011 - January 2013, Flight Commander and AC-130 Evaluator Navigator, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
7. January 2013 – January 2014, Assistant Operations Officer and AC-130W Combat Systems Operator, 73d Special
Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
8. January 2014 – July 2015, executive officer to the Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon, AFB, NM
9. September 2013 – December 2013, Commander, 73d Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Afghanistan
10. September 2014 – December 2014, Commander, 73d Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Afghanistan
11. July 2015 – June 2016, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
12. June 2016 – June 2017, student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
13. June 2017 – February 2020, Chief of Policy and Deputy Director of Operations, Special Operations Command North, Peterson AFB, CO
13. February 2020 – December 2021, Operations Officer, 4th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
14. December 2021 – June 2023, Commander, 73d Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
15. June 2023 – June 2024, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
16. June 2024 – June 2025, Director, Commander’s Action Group, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL
17. June 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander for Sustainment, 492nd Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: more than 2,000
Aircraft flown: T-43, AC-130U, AC-130W, MC-130W, and Q-200
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four campaign stars
Iraq campaign Medal with three campaign stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
NATO Medal, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 Distinguished Military Graduate, Reserve Officer Training Corps
2004 Top Third Graduate, Undergraduate Navigator Training
2011 Air Force Special Operations Command Aircrew Flight Equipment Officer of the Year
2024 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
(Current as of July 2025)