Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ware retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2009 after 20 years of service as a Communications Officer, Prosecutor and Judge. During his time in the Marine Corps, LtCol Ware deployed with Third Tank Battalion as the Communications Officer and Air Liaison Officer during operation Desert Shield/Storm. After returning from the Gulf War, he served with 2 nd Battalion, 7 th Marines and later as the Operations Officer and Officer in Charge of Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 Det B. In 1995 he was accepted into the Excess Leave Program (Law) and attended the University of San Diego School of Law. His assignments as a Judge Advocate include Senior Trial Counsel, Military Justice Officer, Military Judge and Senior Military Judge. He prosecuted over 400 military courts-martials, 32 of which were jury trials on the merits, and as a judge presided over more than 800 trials. In addition, he was the first military Judge to deploy to Operation Iraqi Freedom to preside over contested trials in the theater of operation. His last assignment was Senior Military Judge, Western Pacific Judicial Circuit. LtCol Ware’s personal awards include a Legion of Merit, Two Meritorious Service Medals, Two Navy Commendation Medals, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

In 2009 he joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as the Division Counsel for the Los Angeles Field Division and currently serves as the Deputy Associate Chief Counsel (West) supervising the Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, and Denver ATF Field Division Counsels. Mr. Ware received a BA Communications from the University of Southern California, a Master’s in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and is a graduate of the University of San Diego, School of law.