SFC MARK HOLBERT, USA(RET)
Mark’s Story
After entering the service in 1996, Mark was extremely successful in his military career. After being selected for Special Forces in 2003, Mark deployed multiple times to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other inhospitable countries throughout the Middle East without incident. Unfortunately on August 16, 2010, Mark’s life would forever change.
On that fateful day in the Helmand Province, Mark responded to an explosion on the outer security perimeter of his base. It was a setup, a tactic used by insurgents in Afghanistan to draw troops outside the wire. While clearing the area, it happened. A pressure plate IED exploded, causing devastating wounds. Still, Mark remained conscious, assessing his own injuries while his Special Forces brethren came to his aide. Mark knew he was in a fight for his life. His team immediately called in a 9 Line, an emergency radio transmission requesting a Medevac helicopter. Little did he then know he would survive, only to be in need of another 9 Line years later.
Mission Complete
The purpose of Nine Line is to greatly improve the quality of life for those most affected by war. In Mark’s case this was a wheel chair accessible home. Nine Line, through partnership with numerous other non-profit organizations, took the lead in accomplishing this mission. In less than 10 months we completed this endeavor and are proud to announce Mark is currently residing in his “forever home.” We would like to thank the thousands of donors who helped make this happen for such a humble hero.
