MADISON – Staff Sergeant Mark Faginkrantz entered the U.S. Army as a Private in January 1997, served 14 years and 11 months and separated from the service in November 2011.

“Originally from Peoria, Ill., I joined the Army at 18 to travel the world. I had no idea where it would take me. At the time, I hadn’t even heard of Huntsville/Madison, Alabama,” Faginkrantz said.

At Fort Benning, Ga., he completed One Station Unit Training – 11X10C with C Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment. For Advance Individual Training – 14J10, he reported to Fort Bliss, Texas with B Battery, 1st Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.

In 1998, Faginkrantz reported to Fort Riley, Kan. with C Battery, 1st Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment. He returned to Fort Bliss with Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and completed Primary Leadership Development Course.

Faginkrantz deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from April to October 2001. He was stationed in Jordan with Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Also that year, he was a Distinguished Honor Graduate for Joint Tactical Ground Station Operators Course.

He deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea with C Detachment, 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade. Back at Fort Bliss, he assisted Headquarters Battery, 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade and Directorate of Combat Developments.

Faginkrantz reported to Headquarters Company, Fort Campbell, Ky. He deployed twice with Operation Enduring Freedom, first to Sharana, Afghanistan and then Salerno, Afghanistan. He also finished both basic and advanced non-commissioned officers courses.

After departing the Army, he moved to Madison County in September 2011 and began working for Signalink Inc. While at DCD, Faginkrantz had met Signalink owner Steve Lessmann.

“It was fate that Lessmann had a potential spot” for Faginkrantz’s work from Army experience. Faginkrantz works as Tactical Communications Subject Matter Expert for Signalink.

“My girlfriend Tesa works for the sheriff’s office in the records department. I have twin girls, Brooke and Lainie, seventh-graders at Buckhorn Middle School and one son, Curtis, a fifth-grader at Riverton Intermediate School,” he said.

“Through Signalink Serves, a Signalink entity, we currently support Huntsville Hospital Pediatric Oncology Department,” Faginkrantz said. “My family also donates to charities in lieu of birthday presents.”

Faginkrantz studied at Central Texas College. A hockey fan, he also likes to tinker with computers and electronics.