MSGT(ret.) Howard “Mad Max” Mullen Jr. is one of the most dynamic Ranger Instructors to serve during the mid 80’s and early 90’s.  Known to most as Mad Max Mullen for his bold, motivating, and aggressive leadership style, MSG Mullen served with:
-1^st Battalion Ranger 75^th INF Regiment
-2d Battalion Ranger 75^th INF Regiment
-3rd Battalion Ranger 75^th INF Regiment
-75^th Ranger Regimental Headquarters

He conducted a 500ft Combat Parachute Assault on the Island of Grenada “Operation Urgent Fury” October 25, 1983 with the B.co 2/75^th Ranger Battalion.
He served as a Senior Ranger Instructor and Head Hand to Hand Combative instructor with 3^rd Ranger Company “Morgan Team” and C.co 4^th Ranger Training Battalion.
He was instrumental in the co-authoring of the US Army Combative Manuel FM 3-25.150 in 1987.
He has also Conducted over 200 Hand-to-Hand Combative demonstrations for visiting foreign dignitaries, diplomats, and Ranger students.

Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, 1991-93
Serving as Platoon Sergeant of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was one of the highpoints of his military career.
Life in a Ranger rifle platoon is extremely demanding. As the US Army’s premier light infantry and special operations assault force, Rangers are held to the highest standards of discipline and performance, and are engaged in almost constant combat training of the utmost reality against well trained and motivated regular Army units (OPFOR) that almost always far outnumber the Rangers and are, according to the design of the exercises, usually given tactical terrain advantages over the Rangers. 

During his time as platoon sergeant, 3rd Platoon had the highest Opposing Force (OPFOR) kill ratio, against OPFOR opponents in training scenarios employing the MILES systems and other objective measures of combat effectiveness. In one six month training cycle, 3rd Platoon had the lowest friendly casualty, rate in the entire Ranger Regiment. During the “Team Spirit 92” combat training exercise, 3rd Platoon destroyed 15 enemy helicopters and 10 enemy vehicles, and functioning as the Company main effort, 3rd Platoon was instrumental in destroying the 2d Infantry Division Aviation Brigade Tactical Operations Center (TOC), the 2nd Infantry Division 2nd Brigade Tactical Operation Center, and the 2nd Infantry Division, Division Artillery (DIVARTY) Tactical Operations Center. Among a platoon sergeant’s responsibilities is the in-unit training of the individual soldiers of that platoon.

During his tenure as 3rd Platoon’s platoon sergeant, 3rd Platoon had a higher number of soldiers test for and earn the coveted Expert Infantry Badge than any other platoon in the Ranger Regiment. 3rd Platoon also had the highest Physical Training score average in the entire Ranger Regiment, and junior enlisted personnel had the highest rate of graduation from the extremely arduous Ranger School course.

"During the time that it was my honor to serve as platoon sergeant, 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was surely the finest Ranger Rifle Platoon in the United States Army."