Mark Drew:  

Life After graduating Cabrillo I went into the Marines as a combat engineer and spent the next five years traveling the world. I earned Corporal in less than a year and got my Sergeant stripes after only two and half years. I was intent on making a career out of the Marines but I wanted to be stationed in California, at my reenlistment. The Marines had other plans for me. I was selected along with about 15 other NCOs to go to the worst unit in the Marines at the time to help clean it up. I was all but guaranteed Staff Sergeant with less than six years of service if I took the assignment. I did a recon of the unit and saw what was going on and what I had to look forward to. I decided to get out and come back to California and the Marine Corps could have the fine mess all to themselves. I came back to Lompoc and got a job in Santa Maria making solar collectors for swimming pools. Remember the first energy shortages. From that I was hired by a couple of guys in San Jose who wanted to get into the solar business also. After all it was an area where you couldn't fail. We did fail after a year. I had earned the GI bill so I decided to start going to college. I also went into the Navy Reserve for a little bit of extra money and with working odd jobs and such I was doing pretty good for a young bachelor in the Bay Area. Going to school ended up being a nine year adventure of living the fun campus life! I even went to a toga party. After my nine years in college I got my four year degree. I also ended up with a reserve commission in the Army through ROTC from San Jose Sta...Expand for more