Mark Vernetti:  

I retired from the Marine Corps on October 2004 right here in our nation's capital and decided to put down some semi-permanent roots for a change. My wife and children had been hazed with frequent moves and no chance to settle into a community for long enough. I went right to work after retirement in a great paying job with even crappier hours than what I left. After three years I needed a change and came back to the government (kind of). I work for General Dynamics as an senior analyst working for the U.S. Department of State. I manage a portion of our international business affairs with Switzerland and really like it. It sounds high tech, but I promise it really isn't. I work with a great group of people, the work is rewarding and the schedule is great. That's importatnt because it allows me lots more time to finish spoiling my youngest child and official princess of the house - Lily. Lily is 7 now and was the "what do you mean your pregnant" baby. I've done my best to spoil her rotten and by all measures I think I'm on track. She is quite a character, loves school (she definitely didn't get that from me) and loves her pets. She even wants a snake, but I think I'll try to keep saying no to that one.... Alaina is 21 and our oldest child. She is in her senior year at Virginia Commonwealth University and is beautiful and very athletic. Thankfully her Field Hockey skills helped pick up a large portion of her education. She is very independent and is even talking about joining the military after graduating. She's majoring in education but has already started to wonder if that's her real calling. So much for that degree... Dominic is 18 and is the son my mother wis...Expand for more