Darrel Choat serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Marine Corps University Foundation, bringing over three decades of distinguished leadership across military, governmental, diplomatic, and academic arenas. A retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, Mr. Choat has held senior positions in high-impact operational, advisory, and policy roles in Washington, D.C. and across the globe.
Mr. Choat most recently served as Executive Officer at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., overseeing over 1,000 personnel and directing more than 2,200 high-visibility ceremonial events annually. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Manpower and Human Resources at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he managed civilian and Marine Corps personnel services for over 3,600 active duty Marines and civilians. He also served as a Foreign Advisor Team Leader in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he advised Afghan Ministry of Defense and Interior General Officers on public affairs, budgeting, and financial execution in support of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission.
His international experience includes serving as a Future Operations Planner in Bahrain, leading contingency planning for the Levant region, and U.S. non-combatant evacuation operations. Earlier in his career, Mr. Choat was a Congressional Liaison at U.S. European Command at the Pentagon, a ceremonial host and Human Resources Officer at Marine Barracks Washington, and a White House Social Aide.
Mr. Choat began his public service career in the U.S. Congress, where he spent nearly a decade as a legislative assistant and professional committee staff member in both the House and Senate, focusing on agriculture, trade, and environmental policy.
He is a proven strategist and relationship builder with extensive experience coordinating with the White House, U.S. Departments of Defense, State, and Interior, as well as international partners from NATO and the Middle East. His writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Marine Corps Gazette, Small Wars Journal, and publications by Marine Corps University Press and Oklahoma State University Press.
Mr. Choat holds three master’s degrees—two in Military and Operational Studies from Marine Corps University and one in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. He earned his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska and was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to the University of New England in Australia.
Mr. Choat’s breadth of experience, cross-cultural fluency, and commitment to education and public service uniquely position him to help advance the mission and strategic goals of the Marine Corps University Foundation.