Lieutenant Colonel Cody was born in Ireland. He was nominated by the Irish government to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 2009, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ocean Engineering. He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps after earning U.S. Citizenship through active-duty military service.
Second Lieutenant Cody reported to The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, where he completed training and was selected to receive an air contract to train as a Marine Pilot. While awaiting flight school in Pensacola, Florida, he served as an infantry company Executive Officer for Fox Company, School of Infantry West, Camp Pendleton, California.
Second Lieutenant Cody completed Aviation Preflight Indoctrination and NAS Pensacola, Florida, and Primary flight training in the T- 34C at NAS Whiting Field, Florida. Upon completion of Primary Flight Training, Captain Cody was selected to fly jets and train at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi, where he earned his Naval Aviator wings in 2013. His first fleet assignment was to VMAQ-2 in Cherry Point, North Carolina where he completed Airborne Electronic Warfare training.
In 2015 Captain Cody was selected to transition to F-18C’s, receiving orders to the VMFA-232 “Red Devils” at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and then later the VMFA-242 “Bats” flying F-18D’s at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Transitioning to F-35’s, Major Cody was assigned to the “Green Knights” of VMFA-121 to fly the F-35B in Iwakuni Japan and then F-35C’s at the VMFA-311 “Tomcats” in Miramar, California.
Lieutenant Colonel Cody is a graduate of the Naval War College, the Marine Corps University Command and Staff College and the U.S. Air Force Air University, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Military Operations. His awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal, six Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Navy Arctic Service medal and the 2024 McClung Leadership Award.