Mark Farmer is a 44 year-old writer, photojournalist and military/media affairs consultant. A 25 year resident of Alaska and a retired US Coast Guardsman, Farmer is currently Special Correspondent to Combat Aircraft magazine and a freelance contributor to numerous other publications ranging from The Associated Press to Aviation Week & Space Technology. He has written for Popular Science, Jane's Defense Weekly, appeared on many TV programs on the Discovery, History, Learning & Travel Channels and provided consultation services to such shows as the "X-files" and "60 Minutes." Farmer is one of a handful of journalists to maintain full qualifications to fly in US and Allied combat aircraft and he has twice won 1st place in the Aviation Week & Space Technology's worldwide photo contest.