Lieutenant Colonel Sean O’Rourke is from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota. He attended Officer Candidate School in the summer of 2007 and was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in May 2008. Following graduation from the Basic Officer Course, Second Lieutenant O’Rourke was designated as a Logistics Officer and completed the Logistics Officer Course in August 2009.
After completing Military Occupational Specialty training, First Lieutenant O’Rourke reported to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. In October 2010, he deployed with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines to Musa’Qaleh, Afghanistan as the Motor Transport Officer. First Lieutenant O’Rourke then assumed the Assistant Logistics Officer (S-4A) duties and deployed with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines to Kajaki Sofla, Afghanistan.
In November 2012, Captain O’Rourke conducted a Permanent Change of Station to Okinawa, Japan, where he served as Future Operations Officer and Watch Officer for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. During this period, he supported Spring Patrol 2013 and exercises such as Cobra Gold, Korean Marine Exchange Program, Forest Light, and Fleet Synthetic Training-Joint.
In May 2013, Captain O’Rourke was assigned to 3rd Maintenance Battalion, where he assumed command of Intermediate Maintenance Company, a combined unit of Motor Transport Maintenance and General Support Maintenance Companies. In June 2014, he reported to Logistics Operations School staff. While at Logistics Operations School, Captain O’Rourke served as Headquarters Company Commander, Motor Transport Maintenance Instructional Company Commander, and Logistics Officer Course Faculty Advisor from June 2014 to July 2017. He was then selected to attend Expeditionary Warfare School.
Captain O’Rourke was assigned to Officer Candidates School and was promoted to Major. He served as the Headquarters and Service Company Commander and Academics Officer-In-Charge until his permanent change of station to Marine Aircraft Group 26, where he served as the Personnel Support Detachment Commander, Group Logistics Officer, and Group Executive Officer. Major O’Rourke continued to Penn State, where he studied Supply Chain Management as a CMC Logistics Fellow and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He reported to the Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics, after graduation.
Lieutenant Colonel O’Rourke’s personal decorations include two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and two Meritorious Service Medals. He is a graduate of the EWS Distance Education Program, EWS Resident, and USMC Command and Staff College Distance Education Program; he was selected as a distinguished graduate for each. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership in December 2022 and from Penn State with a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management in 2024.