Photo By Alun Thomas | Staff Sgt. Mark Morton, human resource noncommissioned officer, 653rd Regional Support...... read more read more
MESA, Ariz. – It only seems like yesterday to Staff Sgt. Mark Morton – enlisting as a 19-year-old in 1983, looking for a purpose, a future, something he felt the Army could provide.
Now, 41 years later, Morton is ready to retire and move on to the next chapter of his life. It’s something he’s earned, one that’s typical of the sacrifice and commitment put forth by so many of the nation’s servicemembers.
Morton, human resource noncommissioned officer, 653rd Regional Support Group, had two breaks in service over the duration of his 28 years of Army duty, but both combined to tell a story that despite its ups and downs have seen him ultimately conclude his career with an immense sense of pride.
Morton, a native of Lincoln, Neb., was undecided about his future as he prepared to leave high school, having not considered the road ahead.
“I graduated high school in 1982; I didn’t have a lot of guidance in my high school time, career wise,” Morton said. “I blew it off, but when it was time to graduate, I knew I had to do something, so I joined the Army.”
“When I joined the Army, I didn’t have any expectations … there wasn’t an earth-shattering moment caused me to enlist. I was 19 and thought this is something I wanted to do,” he said.
Morton enlisted as a tanker, completing his One Station Unit Training at Fort Knox. This was an era where Vietnam veterans were still common, a far different Army than today’s, Morton said.
“I went to my first duty station at Fort Carson, Colorado. I was there about a year and went to Germany, where I stayed a year also,” Morton recalls. “I got stationed at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos, Texas) and during that time I reenlisted and moved to Fort Riley (Kansas). Then in 1990 Desert Shield hit.”
This was the culmination of everything Morton and his tank platoon with the 1st Infantry Division had trained for, as they were thrust into the Middle East and potential conflict.
“On December 24, 1990, I was on a plane going to Saudi Arabia. I was in Khobar Towers for about a month before we got our equipment and headed to Kuwait,” Morton recalled.
“We were on the eastern flank with the 18th Airborne Corps. My tank platoon patrolled the demilitarized zone,” Morton said. “We did have some contact. We were the lead element, the fixers so to speak. We fixed the enemy and their reserves when they passed through.”
Upon returning from Desert Storm Morton’s unit was deactivated. It was around this time in 1991 the Army started to draw down, leaving Morton with a decision to make. Based on this, Morton took an early out from active duty.
“I had a legitimate job offer that made the decision easier. I’d also had trouble getting promoted based on points being in combat arms. I had some angst toward the Army because of this,” Morton said. “I was married with two kids at the time and my wife wanted me home, so I couldn’t do the Army at that point anymore. It was a perfect storm, so I left active duty in November 1991. I tried the Army Reserve for a year, but I didn’t like that at the time. So, I got all the way out.”
For the next 12 years Morton was a civilian, all his ties to the Army gone. He worked as a hotel manager, in a produce warehouse, and in computer networking. Despite this, Morton had the nagging feeling this wasn’t enough to provide a stable future.
“In 2004 I decided I had nine years of service, so I needed to do something for my retirement. That year, I went back into the Army Reserve and was stationed in a drill sergeant unit in Lincoln. I did this with the intention of becoming one myself,” Morton continued. “I ended up getting injured and that was the end of that. My leadership saw potential in me to become a commissioned officer and offered me that route instead.”
This appealed to Morton, and he was given a direct commission in 2005 based on the agreement he would finish his college degree in a specified time frame. Unfortunately, several roadblocks prevented this.
“I was trying to finish my degree, but life happened, and I got behind with my studies when I had to mobilize to Iraq,’ he said. “Everything was put on hold, the upshot being I didn’t end up mobilizing after all. I’d gotten too far behind on my degree, and I didn’t complete it on time. I was passed over twice on my promotion to captain because of this. I’d spent seven years as an officer up to that point.”
This was a setback for Morton, and he decided to leave the Army in 2012 to reenter the civilian sector once more. This time it lasted less than a year.
“I always told myself I wasn’t going to be that guy who didn’t finish my degree – but I did end up being that guy. Consequently, when I went back into the Army Reserve again in 2013, I was told I had to take E-5 (sergeant) or nothing,” Morton added. “There are certain points in our lives when things happen, and we make decisions that change our careers. Not finishing my degree changed mine.”
Morton attempted to reclaim his status an as officer, which was unsuccessful. He was then accepted to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School, but due to injuries and age, Morton decided to stay where he was.
“My point is, don’t stagnate in your career. Don’t rely on something that may or may not happen. I put all my effort into being reappointed as an officer and neglected my enlisted career, Morton said. “I finally put my promotion packet in for E-6 and was promoted the next month.”
Morton is proud of his career, and has no regrets, his journey one that he can look back on with a level of satisfaction and achievement.
“I’m ready to retire – I have 28 years of uniformed time. I’m proud to have been able to serve my country. Not everyone can, and I was allowed to do so,” he said. “It’s been an honor and privilege. Only one percent of the nation gets to do what we do. Anyone who’s done this should be proud of themselves and proud of the Army.”
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2024 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 467842 |
| Location: | MESA, ARIZONA, US |
| Hometown: | LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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