Mark was nominated by his wife, Sadie:
My hero is my husband Mark. He is the most amazing person I have ever met. Not only is he my husband but also my best friend. We have been through everything together; we married in July 2011 when I was nineteen and he was twenty-two. Mark enlisted in November 2012 after he graduated from college. He enlisted in order for us to start graduate life off on the right foot and serve his country. Mark decided to enlist as Security Forces, the cops of the Air Force. I couldn’t be more proud of that decision and I am so happy that my husband is a defender. It’s been a crazy journey, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. He just returned from his first deployment to Afghanistan. We have learned to never take any moment together for granted. He has sacrificed so much for us and for his country. I could not ask for a better husband, and I am so proud of him. He will always be my hero.