Military Service
U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant
Experience
21 years served
Future
Seeking a career in information technology
Location
Morrisville, PA
About Mark
I joined the Army National Guard in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. I spent 6 years in the Field Artillery, and then I reclassed for Signal. As a signal soldier, I was attached to two different aviation battalions and then a combat engineer battalion. Over the course of 20 years, I spent a total of six years deployed. My civilian job moved from Arizona to Pennsylvania, where I currently reside. When I arrived in PA, I had a hard time finding a signal slot in the Army Guard, so I switched to the Air National Guard. I'm currently a Cyber Defense Operations technician.
I struggled with school when I was younger, but I found a new sense of focus and passion for learning in my late 40's. I completed my bachelor's degree in Technical, Scientific, and Professional Writing in 2021. I am about to complete a master's in Cybersecurity because, during my last deployment in 2019-2020, I witnessed the persistent efforts of our enemies to infiltrate and disrupt our systems and networks. This caused me to change the trajectory of my education and career.
I have been married for 26 years, and I have two kids. My wife is my biggest ally and my most important supporter. Our kids are grown and out of the house, so now we spoil our dogs.