Name
Mark Buck
Branch, Years Served, & Job in the Military:
Army, 2003-2023, Army Special Operations Aviation Officer
Service History:
I joined the Army because of the September 11th attacks. Like many people, I felt called to be part of our nation's military response. I commissioned from Texas A&M University - College Station upon graduation and proceeded directly to flight school in Alabama. After completing flight school, I was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division in Kentucky and deployed to Iraq for 13 months. I enjoyed the mission and I liked the people I served with. I loved being in the Army. In 2007, I applied and favorably assessed for Special Operations. Special Operations is difficult to explain, but I had the opportunity to be part of incredible teams, with incredible capabilities, solving hard problems on behalf of the United States. I consider myself extremely fortunate to spend those final 15 years serving and deploying alongside some of the finest people our country produces. It was both humbling and awe inspiring. I retired in July of 2023 after serving 20 years in various command or staff positions and completing 15+ deployments.
Deployments and/or Activations:
I deployed 15+ times with the 101st Airborne Division, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). I deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, Senegal, Djibouti, Somalia, Jordan, and a few other locations.
Current Degree Plans & Academic Goals:
I am earning my MBA through TAMU-CC. My academic goals are to learn the language, the concepts, the theories, and the processes that drive business in the civilian sector. I have a significant amount of individual and organizational leadership experience, but I lacked the hard skills associated with finance, accounting, marketing, etc. This MBA program fills that knowledge gap and enables me to reach a higher potential. My over-arching objective is to lead and make significant contributions within an organization whose mission and values align with mine, just like the military.