Mark Lowe:  

Upon graduating from Warren High School in 1988, I was off to Ft. Jackson, SC for Army Basic Training. It wasn't easy by any means, but I managed to make it through unscathed and proceeded to Ft. Gordon, GA for a year of Satellite Communications training. I polished my test taking skills, but didn't really learn how to do my job until I got to my first assignment, which happened to be Ft. Ritchie, Maryland. It was in Maryland that my eyes were opened to how great military life could be and I made up my mind early on that I was staying in for the long haul. I made a lot of friends in the surrounding area(Hagerstown and Fredericksburg, MD) and definitely plan on going back to visit some of them once I'm out of the service. After three years in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was off again, this time to Seoul, South Korea. I spent most of my time working, taking college classes, playing intramural sports and helping a Korean friend of mine teach English to some of the locals. The latter hobby had its benefits too (i.e. free lunches, tours, etc.) so I can't say my time was all charitable (lol). After a year and half in Korea, I flew back to Ft. Gordon for another 16-week course in preparation for a follow-on assignment to Landstuhl, Germany. The assignment itself was a turning point in my career since it dealt with equipment and technologies that were way above my head and caused me to rethink my life's priorities a little. I was still going to school in my free time, but I hadn't put forth my best effort in learning all the things I needed to succeed long-term in the military. I did what I had to, but little else. I really had to buckle down to learn this particular vocation, and took full advantage of the opportunity it presented. From there it was back to Ft. Gordon, GA where I was assigned to the 235th Signal Company, a tactical satellite communications outfit with some of the...Expand for more