This week’s Veteran is A.J. Mark, who served in the U.S. Army from 1970-1973. Right out of high school, A.J. went to boot camp at Fort Polk, Louisiana. After surviving the swamps and the rain at Fort Polk, A.J. attended Advance Signal Training school at Fort Gordon, Georgia. He then transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington. In Fort Lewis, A.J. worked his way up to becoming the Senior MARS operator, MOS 31M20. MARS currently stands for Military Auxiliary Radio System. During its peak popularity in the 1960s and early 1970s, it was known as the Military Affiliate Radio System. MARS became a vital “lifeline” for service members stationed overseas, particularly during the Vietnam War. Using high-frequency (HF) radios, A.J.’s role was to connect from Fort Lewis to the overseas MARS operator, usually in Vietnam but also in Thailand and Korea. He would then “patch” the radio signal into a local telephone line and connect military members stationed in Vietnam to their families in the U.S. Because the radios were half-duplex (only one person could speak at a time), family members had to learn to say “over” so the operator knew when to switch the signal. A.J. also processed Marsgrams, which were written messages handled similarly to telegrams, used when voice connections weren’t clear enough for a phone patch. Because regular military communication lines were reserved for official business, MARS functioned as the “soldiers’ telephone company,” providing a free way to call home, and were a huge boost to morale for our military men and women serving overseas. A.J. also set up MARS capabilities in large mobile vehicles to support tactical operations. A.J. asked the Army to station him in Vietnam, however, because troop deployments were drawing down in 1972, he was turned down. He asked to be stationed in Germany but the Army said he didn’t have enough time remaining on his enlistment. So, the Army sent him to Korea for a 13 month tour. In Korea, A.J. worked at the APO, Army Post Office, where he helped service members send money home to their families and with their mail services. Turning down a potential $4K re-enlistment bonus, A.J. opted to discharge from the Army. He returned to Houston and got his college degree from Texas Southern University in Communications, using his G.I. Bill. As a civilian, A.J. purchased his first home with just $1.00 down, also with assistance from his G.I. Bill. He was then recruited by the Houston Police Department (HPD). He started in Patrol Division, then with his military background he spent several years on the SWAT Entry Team and with the Sniper Squad. A.J. spent the next 25 years in the Motorcycle Division, for a total of 35 years service to HPD. Never one to tire from public service, A.J. then worked as a Harris County Constable, where he worked in Civil for two years serving papers and nearly 13 years as Court Bailiff. A.J. woke up at 4:00am while working Bailiff to drive to downtown Houston, from the City of Montgomery. A.J. retired in October, 2025, with over 53 years of public service. Good luck A.J., and congratulations on being MCN’s Veteran of the Week”.