Born and raised in Michigan, I come from a long line of family members who have served in the military. Both of my brothers served in Iraq, my father served in Vietnam, both grandfathers served in World War II and Korea, and one grandmother and great-grandmother served during World War II.

As an undisciplined 18-year-old in need of direction, I joined the Army directly out of high school through the Delayed Entry Program in 1987. I served as a 71M, Chaplain’s Assistant. Life was good. I was initially stationed in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., wearing dress blues and driving high-ranking officers.

I was later stationed in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division, where I went from wearing dress blues one day to wearing BDUs and sleeping in a tent on the DMZ the next week. Just before reaching my third year in the Army, I was stationed at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Georgia. After nearly five years of active duty, I decided to leave the military, attend college, and begin a new career.

I credit my time in the military with giving me the maturity, mission, and discipline needed to complete a four-year degree while working full time. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics (who knew?) and graduated with a 3.98 GPA—quite a contrast to my high school GPA of 2.0. During my first year of college, I met my future wife, Jennifer. We recently celebrated 31 years of marriage.

After completing my studies, I spent the next 20 years traveling the United States selling my pottery at fine art shows. The leadership and discipline I gained in the military were critical to my success as an entrepreneur and artist. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the mandated shutdown of art shows and abruptly ended my dream career. However, I soon discovered a silver lining while seeking new employment.

I was fortunate to find a position at WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation, where I now build wings for 1930s-era biplanes. Fourteen veterans work at WACO, and the camaraderie among us is incredible. The shared experiences, hardships, and humor are the benefits of belonging to a close-knit military community.

Do I believe everyone should serve their country for a minimum of three years? Yes. Although I chose the military and loved every minute of it, not everyone is meant to serve in the armed forces. That said, I believe service should take many forms—schools, hospitals, or national parks, to name a few. Opportunities to work outside one’s comfort zone, integrate with people beyond one’s local community, and help others without direct personal benefit are key to personal growth and to making our country a better place.

In my free time, you’ll find me outdoors. I enjoy fishing, hunting, gardening, hiking, camping, and collecting rocks.