Colonel Niedziocha was born in Elizabeth, NJ and grew up in suburban Philadelphia.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1996 and attended recruit training at MCRD Parris Island, Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry East, and Marine Corps Communications and Electronics School. As a field radio operator, he served four years in Btry I, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment.
Col Niedziocha was commissioned via the Platoon Leaders Course. After graduating from the Infantry Officer’s Course he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment where he deployed twice, to Okinawa, Japan and to Afghanistan. During his time in 1/6 he served as a weapons platoon commander and the anti-armor platoon commander.
After his first tour in 1/6, Col Niedziocha was reassigned to 2D Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Company where he deployed twice, first to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and as the boarding force officer in charge for Commander, Task Group 515.1 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Philippines.
Col Niedziocha’s next assignment was 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment where he served as the assistant operations officer and then commanding officer of Weapons Company. While in 1/1 he deployed twice to 5th and 7th Fleet with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Following his tour in 1/1, Col Niedziocha executed orders to joint duty at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) where he served in a number of assignments to include J34 support operations branch chief, action officer on the director’s staff group, military secretary to the Vice Director, and J33 current operations officer. While at JIEDDO, Col Niedziocha deployed to Afghanistan as the counter IED officer for Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan.
Returning to the operating forces, Col Niedziocha was the assistant operations officer at 6th Marine Regiment for exercise Bold Alligator ’14. He was reassigned as the executive officer for 1/6 where he deployed with the 22D MEU. After his XO tour was complete, he became the operations officer of the 24th MEU where he deployed to 5th and 6th Fleets. Upon returning, the 24th MEU was quickly redeployed to Puerto Rico for disaster relief. Col Niedziocha also participated in Exercise Trident Juncture ’18, a two-month long NATO exercise in Iceland and Norway.
In January 2019 he assumed command of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, leading the battalion through ITX, MWX and a deployment to Okinawa Japan. After commanding 1/6, he served assignments as the director of Marine Corps Warfighting Lab’s Wargame Division and as a strategist at the Commandant’s Office of Net Assessment.
His personal awards and decorations include the Silver Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars, and the Combat Action Ribbon with gold star. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, Expeditionary Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College Distance Education Program, Joint Combined Warfighting School and the Secretary of Defense’s Strategic Thinker’s Program. He has a Master’s of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.