Mark Solomons

COL Mark E. Solomons (Ret.), 63, of Fairfax Station, Virginia passed away on July 9, 2024, following a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife Margaret, his children John and Katherine (Katie) Solomons, his mother (Patricia Levy), his in-laws, Valerie Tilelli and John and Elise Tilelli, his brothers and sisters-in-law (Andy Solomons and Deanna Rogers, Mike and Monica Levy, Ross and Kelly Levy, Christine Tilelli and John and Jeanne Decker) as well as his nephews and niece and many lifelong friends. He is predeceased by his father, Edward Solomons, and his stepfather, Lewis Levy.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mark attended Punahou Preparatory School. In 1983 he received a BS in Business Administration from California State University. A lifelong learner, over the next three decades he attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He later received an MS in Adult Education from Kansas State University, an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and an MA in Security Studies from Georgetown University.
After his college graduation, Mark enlisted in the Army as an Infantryman and was later commissioned after Officer Candidate School as a 2nd Lieutenant in Armor. He served at all levels from Platoon Leader to the Pentagon. In addition to many stateside assignments, Mark also served numerous overseas tours to include Korea, Germany, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and three combat tours in Iraq where he was awarded The Purple Heart.
After his promotion to Colonel, Mark taught for three years at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. He was later assigned as an Assistant Program Manager supporting the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Following that assignment, he was a strategic force planner in the Strategic Analysis (SSA) Division which coordinated Army support to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy and The Joint Staff.
After an outstanding 33-year career in the U.S. Army Mark retired in 2020. He continued to support his country in the private sector as a Senior Operations Business Manager and Research Analyst for SAIC working in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. He simultaneously taught for the U.S. Naval War College as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science and National Security.
The key words Mark used to describe himself in his biographical material were "Scholar. Practitioner. Leader." He clearly was all of these – and so much more. He was a world traveler, a news junkie, a voracious reader, a resolute student of history, a tennis enthusiast and an excellent husband to his wife Margaret and a proud father to John and Katie.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mark's memory to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. https://events.lustgarten.org/MarkSolomons