Mark L. Donald

Mark L. Donald (born 1967) is a retired United States Navy SEAL, hospital corpsman, and physician assistant who served in the United States Navy. Donald is one of the few American warriors to have earned three high-level combat valor medals for displaying the highest levels of battlefield heroism on more than one occasion. Donald, a recipient of the Navy Cross and Silver Star awards in support of Operation Enduring Freedom during the fall of 2003 and the Bronze Star with V device denoting combat heroism for Operation Iraqi Freedom during the spring of 2003, is one of the most decorated heroes of the war on terror.

Career Donald a 1985 Del Norte High School (New Mexico) graduate, He graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego before completing Amphibious Reconnaissance School, Army Airborne and Navy SCUBA School. Donald was interested in medicine and after learning the Marines did not have medical training, transferred into the Navy to study medicine and become a Navy SEAL corpsman. Donald was awarded the Navy Cross and Silver Star for his heroic actions in 2003.

Donald wrote about his experience as a combat medic and his struggles with posttraumatic stress disorder in Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior. He is President of JIC Global, a Virginia-based consulting firm specializing in global health, workforce development and cross-cultural outreach strategies.

Prohibited release In 2008, the Navy Times investigated a medical officer who had been secretly awarded a Navy Cross after receiving a redacted version of the award citation. Initially, it was believed to be a case of "stolen valor", but the Navy Times ran the article after a reporter noted that seven service members were cited in Navy records as receiving a Navy Cross but only six were identified. Donald's citation, was not classified; however, his name had been redacted from the Navy Cross as well as the Silver Star he was awarded for each action. In 2008, a spokeswoman for the Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter told the Navy Times that the name had been redacted to protect the individual and their family.

Silver Star Citation

The President of the United States

Takes Pleasure in Presenting The Silver Star To

Mark L. Donald

Lieutenant, United States NavyFor Services as Set Forth in the Following Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while assigned to a joint operational unit conducting combat operations against Al Qa'ida and Taliban forces in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In November 2003, Lieutenant Donald was part of a multiple vehicle mounted patrol caught in an ambush by extremely heavy rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. The vehicle immediately in front of Lieutenant Donald's was disabled by enemy fire, trapping his vehicle in the kill zone. Lieutenant Donald exited his vehicle and immediately provided covering fire for the rest of his team members as they exited the vehicle. He took charge of the Afghan soldiers from two stopped vehicles, organized them while under enemy fire, and directed their effective fire against the ambushers. He coordinated the extraction of the trapped patrol members with the rest of the patrol, and provided covering fire as they trapped Afghan soldiers re-mounted the vehicles. Under extremely heavy enemy machine gun fire, Lieutenant Donald placed himself in the driver's seat of the lead vehicle. Despite a rapidly increasing volume of enemy fire, Lieutenant Donald led the trapped soldiers 300 meters out of the kill zone to a position of cover. He then coordinated covering fire and led a further movement under enemy fire to a position of relative safety. Lieutenant Donald immediately began emergency medical care for a wounded Afghan soldier and arranged prompt medical evacuation. By his heroic display of decisive leadership, unyielding courage in the face of constant enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Lieutenant Donald reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.