Colonel Tracy was born in West Hartford, Connecticut and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and a commissioning through their NROTC program in 1997.
Colonel Tracy's assignments include Platoon Commander and Executive Officer with 3d Battalion, 8th Marines, Company Commander with the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) and Company Commander with 2nd Battalion, 3d Marines, Commanding Officer of Recruiting Station Chicago, and Battalion Commander with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines. His staff assignments include Future Operations and Plans Officer at Marine Forces Pacific and Future Operations Officer for United States Special Operations Command. He served in combat in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq and has deployed twice to the Western Pacific. He has planning experience in Asia and the Middle East.
Colonel Tracy's military education includes The Basic School, the Expeditionary Warfare School, the College of Naval Command and Staff, and the College of Naval Warfare. In addition, Colonel Tracy attended the Maritime Advanced Warfare School.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with distinguishing device, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Combat Action Ribbons, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and various unit and service medals and ribbons. He was also the 2007 recipient of the Leftwich Trophy.