Interviewed by

Elizabeth Baird and Melissa Falanga

If you love your country enough, and if you want to serve your country,

I don’t see how you can have regrets.

~ Mark Butler (40:42)

Mark Butler's Story:

Mark Butler was able to fly on one of the largest planes in the world, the C-5. To him, this experience was one of his greatest memories about serving in the United States Air Force. Mark was born September 20, 1961 in Connecticut. He had a typical childhood during the 1960's where he would usually spend time with his friends, playing outside, and building forts. As he grew older, Mark discovered his passion, which was air conditioning and heating. He realized this towards the end of his freshman year in high school after he had signed up for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) as an exploratory course. After finishing school at the age of nineteen, he was inspired by his father and grandfather to join the United States Air Force, although he did not end up joining until the age of twenty-seven. Before he enlisted into the Air Force, he worked in New York and Connecticut doing HVAC.

When he enlisted in 1988, he did not get the job he wanted, but later transferred to the flying squadron and served as a Loadmaster. After completing training at three different schools, Mark was stationed at Westover Air Force Base, in western Massachusetts. Here he served nine years during the Afghanistan War, flying around the world where he executed many different types of missions. These missions included humanitarian runs and even presidential missions. In addition, Mark has traveled to many different places during his time in the Air Force. Some of those places include the Horn of Africa and Roda, Spain, which was his favorite place to travel. Many of the places that he traveled were too dangerous due to terrorism, so he couldn't stay for too long.

When asked about his service he passionately stated that "If you love your country enough, and if you want to serve your country, I don't see how you can have regrets". In addition to that, Mark was also asked if he would recommend serving in the military to others. In response, he immediately said, "I would firmly stand behind their decisions". After Mark retired from the Air Force, he went back to HVAC and started his own business. Mark now resides in Chatham, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.