Army Sgt. 1st Class Jackson was assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, ODA 145, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Lewis, Washington. Jackson was killed when a man on a motorcycle set off a nail-laden, homemade bomb at an open-air restaurant outside the gate of Camp Enrile Malagutay, in Zamboanga, Philippines. Mark spent his youth between Saginaw, Michigan, Bridge Port, Michigan and Swan Valley, Michigan. While growing up, he balanced his time between academics, hunting, fishing, football, wrestling and track. Mark graduated from the Swan Valley School system in June 1981. After graduation, he got a job as a mason tender in Tawas, Michigan, and later enrolled in Delta College. Mark started his military career in 1983 with attendance in Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as a member of the United States Army Reserve. He was a 17-year veteran of the Army and a career military man -- first with the Reserves, then the regular Army, Airborne, the Rangers, and then he reached his goal of becoming a member of the Special Forces. Mark was a highly decorated soldier whose awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Southwest Asia Service Ribbon with Bronze Service Star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with arrowhead, the Army Good Conduct Medal fifth award, the National Defense Service Ribbon with Bronze Star, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with three device, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Overseas Service Ribbon. Sergeant First Class Jackson's decorations include the Expert Infantry Badge, the Master Parachutists Badge, the Military Free Fall Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Jordanian Parachutist Badge, the Bahraini Parachutist Badge, the Russian Parachutist Badge, the Korean Parachutist Badge, and the Royal Thai Army Parachutist Badge.