Col Mark R. Wass is the Deputy Director, Capability Development, Air Force Futures, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, Col Wass assists the Director in establishing capability development policy and providing guidance and direction to 180 military, civilian and contractor personnel who represent the warfighter in the Air Force Corporate Process. The Directorate is the service's center of expertise on Capability Development and Joint Integration comprised of 19 teams covering the entire range of Air Force programs, including next-generation weapons and sensors, autonomous platforms, command and control, space and cyber systems, base defense and mobility. The Directorate also oversees the Air Force's Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System processes and advocates for service positions at the Joint Requirements Oversight Council.

Prio to this current position, Col Wass was the Force Application Portfolio Manager for Headquarters Air Force, A5D. He was responsible for the development and integration of future capability requirements of weapons, fighter and bomber fleets, strategic deterrence, cyber operations, electronic-spectrum, and Special Operations and Personnel Recovery to inform USAF Program Objective Memorandum.

Col Wass was commissioned in June 2000 through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corp at Washington State University, Washington. Following graduation from Undergraduate Navigator Training and Electronic Warfare Training in April 2002, Col Wass was assigned to Dyess AFB, TX as a B-1B Weapon Systems Officer. Col Wass attended Weapons School and, following graduation in June 2007, was assigned to Ellsworth AFB where he served as both a squadron and wing weapons officer. He graduated from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies in June 2013 and was assigned to Special Operations Command Pacific at Camp Smith, Hawaii. Col Wass served two years on the Joint Staff as the SOCPAC Long Range Plans and Theater Assessments Division Chief. He also served on the Air Staff as the Division Chief for Air Superiority Plans and Programs and the Joint Staff in both the Joint Force Training and Operations Directorates. Col Wass served as the Commander, 379 Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and the Commander, 36 Operations Group, Andersen AFB, Guam.

Col Wass has more than 2000 flight hours in the B-1B, including 1200 combat hours. He has deployed four times in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Col Wass also served as the B-1B liaison officer to the 603rd Air Operations Center in support of Operation ODYSSEY DAWN.