Q&A With Poly Veterans Steve Huffman ’04 & Marc Mares ’01

As Polytechnic School honors the more than 100 veterans in our Alumni community, we are proud to share the stories of two alumni whose service reflects dedication and a commitment to something larger than themselves. Steve Huffman ’04, a Naval Aviator who flew combat missions during multiple deployments, and Marc Mares ’01, a Coast Guard officer whose career included emergency response and national security work, each offer a meaningful perspective shaped by their time in uniform.

In the conversation that follows, Steve and Marc reflect on their paths to military service, the lessons they carried with them from Poly, and the values that continue to guide their lives. Their experiences provide insight into the realities of service and show how resilience and purpose continue to strengthen the Poly community.

After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering, I was commissioned into the US Navy as an Ensign through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in June of 2008. I was selected into the Naval Aviator training pipeline and received my wings of gold two and a half years later in October of 2010. My first assignment as a Naval Aviator was to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 in Virginia Beach, VA, where I received my initial qualifications in the FA-18F Super Hornet. My first operational tour was with The Fighting Swordsmen of Strike Fighter Squadron 32. In 2013 I deployed aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) for 10 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, flying 28 combat missions into Afghanistan. After completing that three year tour of duty, I was assigned to Training Squadron 10 in Pensacola, FL to be an Instructor Pilot in the T-6A Texan II training Student Naval Flight Officers. After two and a half years in Pensacola, I moved to Fort Leavenworth, KS, to do a year of graduate study at the US Army's Command and General Staff College. There I received a Master's degree in Military Art and Science with a concentration in military history. My next operational assignment was to The Fighting Redcocks of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 in Lemoore, CA, flying the FA-18F Super Hornet. During that three year tour I deployed aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) for 10 months in support of Operations Inherent Resolve, Resolute Support, Iraqi Freedom, and Octave Quartz. During that deployment, I flew 13 combat missions into Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Upon completion of that tour, I left active duty and joined the Navy Reserve. I currently live in Pensacola, FL, and serve as the Executive Officer of the Training Squadron 10 Squadron Augmentation Unit. I am now training Naval Flight Officers part-time in both the T-6A Texan II and the T-45C Goshawk. Throughout my military career, I have flown over 2,500 flight hours and have over 400 carrier arrested landings. Additionally, I currently fly as a First Officer for Delta Air Lines based in Atlanta, GA . I'm married to my wonderful wife, Alyse, and we have two kids, Madeleine (8) and Parker (6).  

I am fortunate to have been able to live my childhood dream—becoming a Navy fighter pilot. For me, the opportunity to serve rarely felt like a burden, but an opportunity to do something I loved while giving back to my country. My service was very different from that of my grandfathers during WWII, and sometimes I feel like I haven't done enough. But I recognize that each of us that choose to raise our hands and serve don't choose the time, place, or conflict. We do the mission we are called upon to do when we are called upon to do it. On deployment I would fly into places like Afghanistan, and talk to ground forces sometimes engaged with enemy combatants. In those tense moments I was grateful to be in the air and safe from the threat. But I knew my job was to support our troops and our allies, and they were relying on me to help them. That's a huge amount of responsibility, but I was proud to help my fellow Americans in any way I could. The hardest part of service is losing friends and spending so much time away from home. I'm grateful to have a phenomenal wife who went through so much during my long times away. My wife raised two little kids for 11 months during COVID while I was on the other side of the world—unable to help her in any way. That was a sacrifice. Our spouses and military families don't often get the recognition they deserve for the sacrifices they make constantly to support their military family members. I think I speak on behalf of many service members when I say that we owe them a lot!

My time at Poly didn't explicitly prepare me for my military service, though participation in team sports (waterpolo for me), theater, and outdoor education trips were all great experiences that improved my team building skills. Additionally, I was an Eagle Scout in Troop 5, and my years in Poly's BSA troop were truly incredible and formidable. Truthfully, there weren't a lot of Poly students that applied to service academies or ROTC programs, and therefore the college counseling office couldn't offer a lot of support. Poly also didn't advertise or offer any opportunities that I knew of to connect current students to service members. I think the strength of the PolyConnect program now is helping to remedy that. Additionally, the Alumni network seems to be stronger now than it was previously, and social media has afforded all of us more opportunities to reach out and communicate in ways that didn't used to be possible. I'm grateful that the Poly community has reached out to me a couple times over the years in regards to my military service. The message I would send to Poly students is that military service is a noble undertaking. The military needs people in every profession. If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, IT professional, pilot, or HR administrator—there is a place for you. It's a great way to serve, network, and get education paid for. It's certainly not for everyone, but there are also other ways to serve and give back to your country outside of the military.  If anyone in the Poly community is looking for a resource, I'm always available!

I graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 2007. My first duty station was in San Diego where I focused on contingency planning for maritime threats and responding to incidents that impacted our safety and security. The Coast Guard selected me to earn my MBA in 2010 and after graduation in 2012, I worked on the operational budget for units stationed throughout the western hemisphere. I left active duty in 2016 to enter the reserves.

While we continually learn from our actions as a nation, I always felt grateful for the opportunities it did afford my family. Service seemed essential to preserve these for others. Also, my father was a veteran and I admired his service to others even after he left the military.

Coach Caragher, Coach Andrews, and the [distance] running program provided me with an early sense of what endurance, accountability, and teamwork meant. Without these qualities, you cannot successfully serve others.

The outdoor education program also showed me that the most beautiful views require you putting in work and dealing with discomfort.