A native of North Carolina, Commander Parks attended the U.S. Naval Academy graduating with a bachelor.s degree in engineering and a commission in the U.S. Navy. Following graduation, he entered the naval nuclear propulsion program serving in a variety of operational, weapons, and engineering posts, including Chief Engineer in USS VIRGINIA (CGN 38), a dual reactor nuclear powered cruiser. Commander Parks attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California from 1994 through 1997 graduating with a master.s degree in mechanical engineering and a mechanical engineer.s degree. His relevant research experience in the navy included an appointment as an adjunct staff research engineer at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington DC and service as a Research Project Officer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock, Maryland on a variety of special projects. While serving, Commander Parks was a designated navy Engineering Duty Officer, an engineering specialist with expertise in weapons effects, biophysics, and protection.

Following retirement from the service in 2002, Commander Parks founded ORA Inc. a defense technology research and development company. He has been actively engaged in programs to characterize blast and ballistic weapon effects leading to more effective protection systems and treatment therapies. He has served as a principal investigator for the U.S. Navy blast biophysics research program since 2003 and as a consultant for a similar U.S. Army program. Additional relevant research experience includes serving as principal investigator on a variety of Department of Defense ballistic and blast trauma research programs. Most recently he completed a one year developmental study for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to implement a large scale blast wave generator model of blast induced neurotrauma. ORA Inc. is currently the prime contractor for the DARPA PREVENT program. In addition to his blast and ballistics research, Commander Parks serves as an instructor for U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) military post blast investigation courses and breaching blast physics courses.