Biography of the Deputy Superintendent / Chief of Staff
Colonel Scott Cuomo
Colonel Cuomo graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He subsequently earned a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University through USNA’s Voluntary Graduate Education Program (VGEP).
After completing The Basic School (TBS) and the Infantry Officer Course (IOC), 2ndLt Cuomo was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (1/4). Deployed with Amphibious Task Force–West, he fought in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, serving as a Rifle Platoon Commander during the initial invasion and later as a Rifle Company Executive Officer executing stability operations following the fall of Baghdad. 1stLt Cuomo redeployed to Iraq with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) as a Combined Anti-Armor Team Platoon Commander in Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/4, participating in combat operations, including the Battle of Najaf.
Following these deployments, 1stLt Cuomo served as an instructor at TBS, where he was promoted to Captain. He taught students in the Basic Officer Course and Warrant Officer Basic Course before instructing at IOC for two years. He then attended the Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS).
Upon graduating from EWS, Capt Cuomo commanded a Rifle Company in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines (2/2), executing combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as part of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Upon returning, he was selected as 2/2’s Operations Officer and deployed with BLT 2/2 and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR in Libya, as well as missions across USCENTCOM and USEUCOM. He was promoted to Major while deployed.
Maj Cuomo next served as Director of the Infantry Officer Course, training over 300 infantry and ground intelligence officers while completing Marine Corps Command and Staff College (non-resident). He then transitioned to Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation, serving as an Operational Planner and Ground Combat Element / Digital Interoperability Integration Officer. During this assignment, he graduated from the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course.
Selected for the Commandant of the Marine Corps Strategist Program while attending the School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW), Maj Cuomo earned a Ph.D. in Government (International Relations) from Georgetown University, focusing his research on how the Navy-Marine Corps team can leverage robotics to become even more lethal. During this tour, he served as the Marine Corps representative to the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
LtCol Cuomo commanded 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd LAR), deploying elements across multiple geographic combatant commands. Simultaneously, he led and deployed with Task Unit 61.2.4.2 (Task Force 61/2), an experimental reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance formation, operating in contested maritime terrain in USEUCOM following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Following his return, LtCol Cuomo served as Senior USMC Advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy (Force Development). In this role, he helped advance key lethality initiatives for the Navy and Marine Corps, served as a core team member on the Replicator Initiative to field robotics and autonomous systems at scale, and was promoted to Colonel.
Col Cuomo subsequently commanded Weapons Training Battalion–Quantico, leading the Marine Corps proponent for small-arms combat marksmanship and attack drone lethality while serving as Captain of the Marine Corps Shooting Team and Attack Drone Team.
Col Cuomo assumed duties as Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Staff of the United States Naval Academy in July 2026.
Updated 8/4/2026
