Mark and Jennifer Fitch established the Mark and Jennifer Fitch Endowed Scholarship Fund to help an OTC cadet with educational expenses. Because of Mark’s background, the Fitch’s desire to give priority to a Western Oregon University cadet.
Mark is a 1990 graduate of Western Oregon State College. Prior to attending WOSC (now WOU), he was a Military Police soldier in Germany. He achieved the rank of sergeant before leaving the service in April 1987. He competed for and won a two-year ROTC scholarship and graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1990. Since entering active duty, Mark held a variety of jobs until he found a fit in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. He also served as executive officer for the 79th Ordnance Battalion (EOD) and deployed to Iraq.
Mark and Jennifer met in the spring of 2001 while deployed to Bosnia. Mark served as the EOD staff officer for NATO Stabilization Forces and Jennifer as the product development coordinator in the Psychological Operations Detachment. Their romance blossomed as they moved from New Jersey to Korea and New Mexico. They married in November 2003 at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Their daughter Kaelyn was born in July 2005.
Jennifer attained her degree as Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic in 1998. She holds her Chiropractic license in New Mexico, but put her career on hold for the important job of being a mother.