Mark Laiuppa

Major Mark Anthony Laiuppa was born October 22, 1957 in Hartford, CT the son of Anthony S. and Justina W. Laiuppa.  He has two sisters, Mary and Tami.  At the age of 10 weeks the Laiuppa family moved to San Diego, where Mark grew up and eventually attended James Madison High School, graduating in the class of 1975.  He was accepted for the USAF Academy Preparatory School, CO and after one year, entered the USAF Academy in the class of 1980.  He spent the first year in cadet squadron 10 and the last three years in cadet squadron 40.  In the summer of 1978 Mark earned the Air Force parachutist badge after completing jump school at Fort Benning, GA.  He graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering and a commission as a second lieutenant.  Mark’s first assignment was to Williams Air Force base for Undergraduate Pilot Training in the 82nd Student Squadron, class 81-06.  Upon graduation he was assigned the C-130H at Dyess AFB, TX in the 773rd Tactical Airlift Squadron (MAC).  While at Dyess AFB he flew in two ORIs, two Volant Pine rotations to Europe, JCS exercises Gallant Eagle and Team Spirit, and upgraded to aircraft commander while logging more than 2,100 hours in the C-130H.  He also served one year in the 463rd Airlift Control Squadron as an air operations officer and was promoted to the rank of captain.  His second assignment was to the 611th Military Airlift Support Group OL-T at Camp Red Cloud, Korea as the Tactical Airlift Liaison Officer for the 2^nd Infantry Division and Combined Field Army.  While in Korea Mark flew the C-12F attached to the 1403 MASS detachment out of Osan AB, logging 65 hours. He participated in JCS exercises Ulchi Focus Lens and Team Spirit. Mark’s Third assignment in 1987 was to Fort Ord in Monterey, CA in support of the 7^th Infantry Division (light) in Det 5 602 tactical air control group, as the division’s Tactical Airlift Liaison Officer. There he earned his Master of Science degree in systems management, earned his air assault badge, and earned his combat patch for a one-month deployment to Panama for Operation Just Cause. In 1991 Mark left for Little Rock AFB, AR and the 50^th Airlift Squadron (ACC) where he became an instructor pilot.  During this tour he was promoted to major, served in the 314^th OSS as the group ground training officer and wing life support officer, as well as in the 314^th Airlift Control Squadron as the squadron DO. He flew in Operation Southern Watch in Southwest Asia (SWA), and one of the last Volant Pine rotations to RAF Mildenhall, UK, and one of the last DEW line support missions to northern Canada. Mark deployed to Soto Cano AB, HO for four months as the deputy commander airlift forces for Joint Task Force Bravo.  He commanded TACLE teams of 80 personnel in Operations Desert Calm (Oman), Restore Hope II (Kenya), Sea Signal (Cuba), and at Pope AFB securing an excellent rating for the wing’s ORI. In 1994 he was reassigned to the TACC, Scott AFB XOOMJ office running the Joint Airborne Air Transportability Training program. Mark also served two years in the AMC staff in DOOM as branch chief creating doctrine and AF instructions for mobile command and control operations world-wide. Mark went to Pope AFB and the 41^st Airlift Squadron (AMC) in 1997 as an assistant director of operations.  While there he upgraded to an All Weather Aerial Delivery System qualification. He deployed to Germany and flew combat missions in Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia) and deployed twice for Operation Southern Watch (SWA)(Kuwait and Oman). While deployed he was the director of operations for the expeditionary airlift squadron. In 2001 Mark took his final assignment as an instructor pilot and later as a flight examiner in the 53^rd Airlift Squadron (AETC) Little Rock AFB, AR. He finished his C-130E career with 5,384 hours, including 1,663 hours as an instructor/evaluator.  While in the 53AS he taught more than 600 students and administered 80 student and permanent party check rides.

Major Mark Laiuppa is retiring from the USAF with 24 years, 11 months, and 4 days of service as a command pilot with 5,736 total hours. He is married to the former Gretchen Hernandez, daughter of Ismael and Eva Hernandez of Carolina, PR.  They have one son, Anthony, and one daughter, Frances. Mark’s badges include USAF Command Pilot, USA Parachute, USA Air Assault, and the 7^th ID(L) combat patch. Some of Mark’s awards include the meritorious service medal, three oak leaf clusters; the air medal; the aerial achievement medal, two oak leaf clusters; the air force commendation medal, two oak leaf clusters; the army commendation medal, the joint service achievement medal; the air force outstanding unit award with valor device, six oak leaf clusters; the combat readiness medal, four oak leaf clusters; the national defense service medal, one oak leaf cluster; the armed forces expeditionary medal, three oak leaf clusters; the southwest Asia service medal, one oak leaf cluster; and the armed forces service medal.

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Mark was a world-wide tactical airlifter deploying to more than 40 countries. He served 25 yrs, flew more than 5,500 hours in the C-130E/H/AWADS as an aircraft commander, instructor and evaluator pilot. He was a Tactical Airlift Control Element Commander and a Tactical Airlift Liaison Officer for the 2nd and 7th Infantry Divisions and earned the 7th ID combat patch in Panama Operation Just Cause