"Getting shot at is always a memorable experience, especially your first few times." (Video Interview, 9:45)

Mark Robert Warnecke

Mark Warnecke [2005] War: Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, 2001-present Branch: Army Unit: 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT), 1st Infantry Division Service Location: Alaska; Colorado; Honduras; Iceland; England; Germany; Iraq Rank: Lieutenant Colonel Place of Birth: NY

Having enlisted in the regular Army just as the Vietnam War was coming to an end, Mark Warnecke would not see his first combat until Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the commander of a New York National Guard Infantry Battalion, Warnecke is able to compare and contrast the role of the National Guard to that of the active duty Army. Some experiences, such as seeing boys become men in the face of combat, are universal. Warnecke saw the greatest difference in the skill sets which those in his battalion brought to their National Guard duty from their civilian life. He could draw on their diverse occupations, from prison guards to mechanics and electricians, to get the job done. Warnecke finds great satisfaction in knowing that the current conflict has demonstrated the ability of the National Guard to perform just as well, if not better, than their active duty counterparts.