Mark C. Blaydes enlisted in the Marine Corps in September of 1978. He stepped on the yellow footprints of Parris Island on Jan. 5, 1979, and earned his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on April 2, 1979. Between Boot Camp and A School, Mark was attached to VMA-231 and worked in the Tool Shop. After attending Aviation Powerplants school in Memphis, TN, he was assigned to VMAT(AW)-202 in Cherry Point, NC, as a jet engine mechanic on the A-6 Intruder for 2 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant. Mark saw an opportunity to lead Marines in a different capacity and was commissioned through the Enlisted Commissioning Program in December 1981. After TBS, Second Lieutenant Blaydes returned to Cherry Point as an Anti-Air Warfare officer with 3rd LAAM BN. He held several leadership positions up to Battery XO before being selected for the Degree Completion Program. After completing his bachelor’s degree at Memphis State University, he was assigned to 1st FAAD Battery/1st LAAD BN in Okinawa, where he held several staff positions to include Battery CO. Capt. Blaydes returned to the US to attend the Company Level School at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX, and remained as the Branch Chief of the Hawk School. In July of 1991, he was assigned to 2nd LAAM BN. in Yuma, AZ, where he held staff billets including Battery CO and was temporarily assigned to MACS-7 as the Operations Officer. Major Blaydes was next assigned to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL, for a tour as Assistant Project Manager for Marine Corps UAVs and then attended ILS at the Air Force Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL. Upon completion, he was transferred to Virginia to work at the Pentagon and Quantico as the Air Defense Requirements Officer and was promoted to LtCol and selected for command. In August 1999, LtCol Blaydes returned to Yuma as the XO of MACS-1 and assumed command as CO in May 2000. Upon completion of his successful command tour, LtCol Blaydes retired from the Marine Corps in September 2002. Mark taught in the Yuma public schools for almost 3 years before becoming a Senior Marine Instructor in the Marine Corps JROTC program. After 16 years with MCJROTC he and Cindey have fully retired in Arizona. They have three children, ten grandchildren and just recently welcomed a great granddaughter!