Mark H. Berry

Party

Republican

Past Service

House 2021

Seniority

72

Religion

Occupation

Retired Military

About Rep. Berry

Rep. Mark H. Berry is serving his second term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 26 which includes portions of Carroll, Madison, and Franklin counties. 

For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Berry is the House Chair for the Joint Performance Review Committee. Rep. Berry also serves on the House Public Transportation Committee and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. Rep. Berry also serves on the Arkansas Legislative Council. 

Prior to his being elected to the House of Representatives he served as Director of the Arkansas Military Department, Adjutant General, and the first Commanding General of the Arkansas National Guard after his appointment on 13 January 2015 by Governor Asa Hutchinson.  On 1 July 2019, he became the first Secretary of the Military Department. He was the first Air Force General Officer to be appointed Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard in its 200-year history.  He is also the first military officer to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General by the Governor of Arkansas.  Upon his military retirement, he was the highest ranking, longest serving military serviceman in Arkansas with 45 years of service.

Representative Berry served more than 21 years active duty and 24 years with the Arkansas National Guard in numerous assignments to include Presidentially Directed Special Projects and Programs with the Department of Energy and Department of Defense Special Projects and Testing, Nevada Test Site (Area 51), Las Vegas, Nevada. Air Operations Officer for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul South Korea. Flight Training Officer United States Air Force Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Assistant Professor Air Force Reserve Officer Training School, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, four combat deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN.  He served in twelve foreign countries to include Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Qatar, Kenya, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, and Korea.  

Representative Berry’s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal presented on behalf of the President of the United States, the Legion of Merit, five Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Services Commendation Medal, eight Air Force Commendation Medals, Air Force Achievement Medal, the Arkansas Distinguished Service Medal presented by Governor Asa Hutchinson in addition to numerous other military awards and decorations.  He was presented the Presidential Medal “MONJA BLANCA” by the President of Guatemala and Minister of Defense for his contributions to humanitarian relief missions and counter narcotic eradication efforts. Representative Berry was inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame in 2020.

Representative Berry served on the Executive Board and one term as President of the National Guard Association of Arkansas.  He served as an Advisor to the Executive Board of Directors for the Arkansas State Police Foundation for nearly five years and was inducted into the Arkansas State Police Foundation Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was named Arkansas State Police Foundation Legislator of the Year.

Representative Berry received his undergraduate degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida and his Masters Degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California.  He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Air War College and Harvard’s, Kennedy School of Government Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Representative Berry and his wife, Theresa, reside in Ozark, Arkansas.