Colonel Bopp graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in History in 1996. After graduating from The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course in 1997, he reported to 2d Battalion, 2d Marines where he served as a Weapons Platoon Commander during a deployment with 22d MEU(SOC) and then as an 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander.
First Lieutenant Bopp’s next assignment was at Officer Candidates School (OCS) in 1999 where he served as the Communications and Demonstration Platoon’s Platoon Commander, a Staff Platoon Commander, Executive Officer for Companies C and G, and Headquarters and Service Company’s Company Commander. He was promoted to Captain and attended the Expeditionary Warfare School.
In May of 2003, Captain Bopp transferred to 3d Battalion, 8th Marines as the Assistant Operations Officer, joining the battalion during its deployment to Okinawa. He then volunteered for duty with 2d Battalion, 8th Marines to deploy to Afghanistan. He commanded Company G for a deployment to Afghanistan from November of 2003 to May of 2004 and then commanded Headquarters and Service Company during a deployment with 26th MEU(SOC) from March to September 2005.
Captain Bopp transferred to Marine Corps Forces Command in June of 2006 and was promoted to Major. He served as a EUCOM/SOUTHCOM Regional Planner, and then a CENTCOM Regional Planner. From Jan – July 2008, he deployed to Iraq as an individual augment to the I MEF(FWD) staff as a planner in G-3 FOPS. He returned to MARFORCOM and served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander of MARFORCOM from August 2008 – May 2009. He next attended the US Army’s Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth from June 2009 – June 2010. While there he also earned a Master of Arts Degree in Management from Webster University.
Major Bopp joined 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion as the Operations Officer and deployed to Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011. Upon return, he assumed duties as the Executive Officer before transferring to the Joint Staff in 2012. His assignment to the Joint Staff was in the J7 as part of the Deployable Training Division (DTD) in which he traveled the world teaching planning and operations. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in June 2013, he became the Plans Branch Chief within the DTD.
In 2015, he was assigned as the Executive Officer for II MEF Headquarters Group (II MHG). In this capacity, he also served as the Commander of the Headquarters Group for 2D MEB and deployed for Large Scale Exercise 15 and Exercise COLD RESPONSE 16 in Norway. He next assumed command of 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion. After commanding the battalion for 16 months, he was forward deployed to take command of Battalion Landing Team 2/6 during its deployment with 26th MEU. He finished his tour with 2D Marine Division as the Executive Officer for 8th Marine Regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Bopp moved to Quantico, VA in 2019 to become a Branch Head in the MAGTF Staff Training Program (MSTP). He was selected for promotion and served as a Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow at Norfolk Southern Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia in 2020.
As a Colonel, he Commanded Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam from May 2021 – July 2023 and then assumed his current duties as the Commanding Officer of the NROTC unit, The Citadel, Charleston, SC.
His personal awards include the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with 2 Gold Stars, Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.
He and his wife Melissa are the proud parents of three sons, Joe, Mike, and Alex.