Mark Nielsen '76 was, perhaps, an atypical cadet and graduate from the Air Force Academy. He had not considered a military career, and he planned to attend the University of California, Berkeley. But a good friend wanted to attend USAFA so he applied, not through California politicians, but rather to Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, where Nielsen was born prior to his father being drafted into the military. Only knowing about USAFA through the admissions catalog, he was drawn to the broad core curriculum, the free education and the option of disenrolling anytime in the first two years. It took an exemption to enter the Academy because of eye color deficiency.

"Needless to say, I received a rude awakening the morning of 3 July 1972," Nielsen recalls. "I cannot say that I particularly enjoyed Basic Cadet Training or Doolie year. I initially committed myself, week by week, through BCT; then to complete the first semester; and subsequently the first year. I then progressively fell in love with the academics, the intramural athletics, the squadron lifestyle and the variety of challenges USAFA presented."

Nielsen converted to a life science major in his junior year, when post-graduation options for the Class of 1976 were limited to combat jobs, with the only exemptions being third-party fellowships or medical school.

"I was not initially committed to medicine but realized during my third year at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, when I first walked into Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital, that my route was 'a God thing.' I fell in love with the challenge of clinical medicine and, in particular, surgery. Every patient and procedure is unique, and I was challenged by the pressure of performing in the operating room."

In 1988, after Nielsen served his active duty commitment, he separated and established a solo urology private practice in east Texas, which he operated until 2015.

"However, I always missed the regular Air Force. In 2008, I was accepted back into the USAF Reserve as a flight surgeon, which started a wonderful odyssey working with the NASA space shuttle program, tri-service trauma surgery education and various military positions through 2017. That year, I semi-retired to a part-time academic and traveling urology practice."

Now residing in southwest Colorado, Nielsen and his wife, Laurie, travel extensively, often when he's at the controls of their Cirrus aircraft or RV-14 experimental aircraft.

"USAFA and the Air Force gave me the opportunity to enjoy unique experiences that I will forever treasure," Nielsen reflects. "The Academy taught me to multitask and consider alternative solutions. I learned critical thought, moral responsibility and acceptance of consequences for actions. I learned that unanticipated circumstances and challenges / disappointments usually present unexpected opportunity. I learned how to fail and adjust course. Early in our marriage, my wife, Laurie, and I committed ourselves to always give back - tithing and supporting worthy causes. We established an endowment to support USAFA's Center for Character and Leadership Development. A further gift to this fund will occur in the future, through our will."

Their commitment to the Academy expanded this year as Nielsen prepares to attend his 50th class reunion in 2026.

"My class committed to building the Spirit of '76 Echelon honoring the Long Blue Line from 1959 to 2079 and funding the Gone but Not Forgotten Endowment. In anticipation of my 50th class reunion, Laurie and I thought this was a perfect way to honor the Spirit of '76, other graduating classes and, most importantly, to help families of deceased graduates. For this reason, we established a new Gone But Not Forgotten endowed fund and Echelon gift. I invite my classmates to actively support the Spirit of '76 project."

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Published Fall 2025