MARK L. DONALD, the son of a retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer and a Mexican mother, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps before transferring to the Navy to train as a Corpsman. He subsequently completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training and served in SEALs until 1996 when he was selected for the Intra-service Physician Assistant Program. He graduated with a degree from the University of Nebraska and was commissioned a Medical Service Corps officer. Following the September 11th terrorist attacks, he was assigned as operational medical support to special operations, where he served in a number of capacities until his retirement. Donald was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest medal awarded by the Department of the Navy, for extraordinary heroism while engaged in enemy action against al Qaeda fighters in southern Afghanistan. He lives in Chesapeake, Virginia.
