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Mark spent all of his childhood life in, South Australia, on a farm in a small place called Kapinnie. Kapinnie was named after an aboriginal called Kapanninie and two small fresh water wells in that area.

He had two sisters and a brother, the first being Susan Janette then Andrew Philip and Lesley Jane Carter. All three currently reside in South Australia.

Mark attended Primary School in a small place called Brimpton Lake since decommissioned and High School in Cummins South Australia.

Marks interests during his childhood revolved around football, shooting, motorbike riding, cricket and tennis and his school work tended to suffer from his leisure activities.

When he turned fifteen he started his first job as a farm hand on a farm at Brimpton Lake over the school holidays for Marv Harris, but he always had his mind set on being a policeman from early times. After applying for the Police Force in 1977 he was accepted and training at Fort Largs, Police HQ and Theberton in 1978/79. Unfortunately his education caught up with him to some extent and he found the it considerably hard and had to leave his training, which dissapointed him greatly.

After he left the Police Force he was unemployed for a short time then returned to the West Coast and worked for the South Australian Cooperative Bulk Handling and as a farm hand around the town of Kapinnie and as a roustabout.

In April 1980 he decided he was going to join the Army due to the work with the silo finished he would have to seek other employment. He applied for the Army and after an examination he was enlisted into the Army on the 27th of May in Adelaide, South Australia.

  
Mark Kenneth Carter b:16th January 1961
 Since joining the Armed Forces Mark has done the following:

Recruit/Initial Employment Training at Kapooka/Singleton - Joined Corps of Infantry
Posted to Alpha Company 2nd/4th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment - 6th December 1980 (Townsville)
Exercise Tropic Lightning April 1981 - Hawaii
Purchased New Holden Commodore in May 1981
Basic Clerical Course April 1982 - Enoggera Barracks Brisbane
Worked with Battalion Headquarters as Typist and Clerk during 1983/84

Married Helen Margarette Grabowski at Lavarack Barracks Chapel on 25th June 1983


Conducted Promotion Courses for Corporal during 1984
Promoted to Lance Corporal in December 1984
Promoted to Corporal in December 1985
Overseas trip for 3 months with Rifle Company Butterworth, Malaysia - June-August 1986


First Son Steve Heinz born at Kirwan Hospital on the 3rd of February 1987


Posted to 31st Battalion Royal Queensland Regiment (The Kennedy Regiment) - Townsville August 1987


First Daughter Elizabeth Mae (Beth) born at Kirwan Hospital on 1st of March 1989


He was posted to The 1st Commando Regiment Headquarters in late 1989 and took up post in January 1990 in Sydney During his posting to Commando's he completed: Commando Induction Course, Airbourne Rappellers Course and Parachute Course.


Second Son Ashley Mark was born on 26th January 1992 at The Royal Womens Hospital in Sydney.


In mid 1982 he went on Exercise Kangaroo 92 in Northern Australia
Travelled to New Zealand on Exercise and worked with the Prime Minister during an anti terrorist exercise in 1993
Completed his subjects for promotion to Sergeant in 1994


He was posted to The Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) in January 1995 and promoted to Sergeant in the Orderly Room and did that job during 1995 and took up the job of Finance Sergeant in 1996.
Received his Long Service Medal in June 1995 for 15 years service.
He was involved in the financial re-percussions of the Blackhawk disaster in Townsville in Jun 96 and spent almost 3-4 weeks working long hours to get families and close friends to funerals.
In 1995 he attended a Regimental computer operators course in July/August of that year and subsequently applied for a transfer to the computer field in October 1995, and again in 1996 before being accepted.

He received a Commendation from the Commander of the Western Region for his assistance over the time of the Blackhawk disaster.


Prior to departing Perth on a posting to Melbourne he purchased a home in Geraldton from Defence Homes.


He did his Operator Computer course during the beginning of 1997.

Since the completion of his course in May 1997 he has been the Systems Administrator of the School of Signals at Simpson Barracks, Melbourne and an instructor in the Information Systems area.
In September 1999 he travelled to Papua New Guinea to instruct PNG Nationals in Microsoft Office and the Internet.
In April-August 2000 he travelled to Europe on an Military Exchange with the British Army and was posted to Corsham and travelled Britain, Wales and Germany
.In January 2001 was posted to 1 Command Support Regiment as part of 104 Siganals Squadron in Darwin.
Deployed to Timor on Operation Stablise for 3 Months over the Christmas period 2001-2002
Posted to 4 RAR in Sydney as part of 126 Signals Squadron on promotion to Warrant Officer
Took long service leave Late 2005/2006 and worked as a contractor in Canberra for Defence Records
Discharged from the Army on 4 December 2006 and moved to Oakey in QLD to live
Build his own home on his property in Oakey 2006-2008
Continued to work as a contractor to Defence in Canberra until December 2007
Worked as a contractor to Defence at the Aviation Training Centre Oakey from January-October 2008
Took up an Army Reserver roll part time with the Army Aviation Training Centre
Commenced working for Unisys in October 2008 and continued to work with computers