Gardnerville guardsman thanks GE workers for support

On Wednesday, Lt. Col. Jeff Mark of the Nevada National Guard presented an American flag to employees of GE Energy in Minden.

The flag had previously been flown over the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, the former presidential palace turned headquarters of the Multinational Corps where Mark spent the last 10 months with the 140th Military Police Brigade Liaison Detachment.

The 45-year-old Gardnerville resident had received a care package from GE employees during the holidays. Returning from his deployment Saturday night, he wanted to thank those at the Minden plant personally.

"Every soldier in my unit got a package," he said. "They were filled with snacks, food, magazines, stationary; they really made it feel like home."

In November, GE employees and a half-dozen members of the National Guard filled and shipped more than 150 care packages. It was the sixth year the company sent packages to troops overseas.

"We just want the troops to know we're thinking of them," said GE employee Cheryl Gray.

The packages offered respite for those engaged in a long and difficult mission. For Mark, that mission was assessing the country's prisons and ensuring the humane "tracking, reporting, release and transfer of detainees."

"We treated all detainees with the highest level of humanitarianism," he said. "I wasn't kicking down doors. I was involved in nation building."

That meant winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, whether Shiite, Sunni or Kurd.

Mark said the U.S. has been taking the right steps to establish democracy in Iraq, but that the future of the country ultimately lies in the hands of the Iraqi people. He said stability will come with the success of the Iraqi government.

"It will come when the Iraqis are comfortable and confident that their government is affording them rights and protections," he said.

Now that he's home, Mark is planning to take some time off. Then he'll stay in Nevada and help the Guard train new units.

"It's wonderful to be back with the citizens of Carson Valley" he said.

He is looking forward to spending time with his wife and 14-year old daughter, but he still misses his 5-year-old black Labrador, Starbuck, who escaped from his Ruhenstroth home last summer while he was deployed.

He had contacted The Record-Courier about the missing dog and posted ads on Craig's List.

"I'm still looking for her," he said. "I just know someone picked her up and kept her. She's that kind of dog."

Anyone with information about Starbuck can call The Record-Courier at 782-5121.