Area Resident Promoted To Warrant Officer 5
Family, friends, senior leaders and peers gathered at the Iowa Ordnance Training Regiment August 27th to honor and participate in the promotion ceremony of Chief Warrant Officer Mark A. Roorda.
Chief Warrant Officer Mark A. Roorda, a 1978 graduate of Oskaloosa Senior High School in Oskaloosa, IA., became the newest Chief Warrant Officer 5 with the Iowa Army National Guard. Mark is assigned as the Quality Assurance (QA) Technician of the SME Cell at the Iowa Ordnance Training Regiment located at Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa.
The Army warrant officer (WO) is a self-aware and adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor. Though progressive levels of expertise in assignments, training, and education, the WO administers, manages, maintains, operates, and integrates Army systems and equipment across the full spectrum of Army operations. Warrant officers are innovative integrators of emerging technologies, dynamic teachers, confident warfighters, and developers of specialized teams of Soldiers. They support a wide range of Army missions throughout their career. Warrant officers in the Army are accessed with specific levels of technical ability. They refine their technical expertise and develop their leadership and management skills through tiered progressive assignment and education.
Mark has dedicated over 31 years toward making a difference in the United States Military. Mark has worked through many positions while serving in the Army National Guard to include deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was assigned as the Automotive Maintenance Officer for the 3654 Maintenance Company. Mark began his career as a 52D (Power Generation Equipment Repairer). Shortly after his leadership noticed his technical ability, leadership, and drive he was selected to attend the Officer Candidate School. Mark graduated and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 26 June 1983. As a commissioned officer Mark was assigned as the Platoon Leader for Det 1, 3654th Maintenance Company. Shortly after Mark then moved to Ohio and transferred to the Ohio Army National Guard and was assigned as the Platoon Leader for Battery C, 2-174th (ADA) and later as a Direct Support Platoon Leader with the 211th Maintenance Company. After a few years in Ohio Mark returned to Iowa and the Iowa National Guard as the 734th Maintenance Battalion S4 and then went on to command the 3654th Maintenance Company in Knoxville, Iowa. It was here that Mark decided that with his technical abilities and future plans would best be utilized as a Warrant Officer. After his successful completion of his Warrant Officer Basic Course, Mark was assigned as the Armament Maintenance Officer in the Maintenance and Training Section in the 734th Maintenance Battalion then later being assigned as the Track Platoon Maintenance Technician of the 3657th GS Maintenance Company. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, Mark was deployed with the 3654 Maintenance Company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On his return Mark was assigned as the Primary TAC Officer, WOCS, 185th RTI Camp Dodge and progressed in the program to hold the Commander, RC-WOCS, 185th RTI position. Mark then was assigned as the Individual Training Branch Chief in the G3 Section at the Joint Force Headquarters, Camp Dodge. Mark’s most recent assignment has him working as the Quality Assurance Technician in the Ordnance Subject Matter Expert Cell of the Iowa Ordnance Training Regiment.
Mark Roorda’s personal awards include Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, two Humanitarian Service Medals, and two Iowa Commendation Medals along with many other service awards. Mark, and his wife Shawna of 13 years, reside in Beacon, and together they have two children. Mark is also currently employed as the Maintenance Supervisor for the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella, IA.
