Lieutenant Colonel Warren C. Cook Jr., representing the US Marine Corps, is a National Security Affairs Fellow for the academic year 2019–20 at the Hoover Institution.

Cook served in a variety of command and support roles throughout his 20-year career as an infantry Marine. As lieutenant, he deployed to the Pacific as an 81mm Mortar Platoon commander in the 1st Marine Division.  He served as the aide to the commanding general of the First Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Naval Task Force 58 in operations against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan. As a captain, he continued his service as aide to the commander of the First Marine Division during the initial attack and subsequent stability operations in Iraq. He then returned to Iraq as a rifle company commander. As a major, he led an adviser team in the Al Anbar Province, then commanded Marine recruiters throughout Los Angeles, Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties. He concluded his tenure as a major with Pentagon duty, where he served as junior aide to the commandant of the Marine Corps.

As a lieutenant colonel, Cook served as a desk officer in the Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate, United States Indo-Pacific Command. He then commanded 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, an infantry battalion in the First Marine Division. 

He earned an undergraduate degree in history from Williams College and an MA in national security studies from the College of Naval Command and Staff.  

Lieutenant Colonel Cook’s research at Hoover will focus on how the Marine Corps can optimize lethality through technology.