When I left the military, I didn't want to sit back and enjoy retirement; there's no growth in that, so I sought out new challenges.

My military career was stellar, but I wanted to do more than just be a Navy SEAL; I sought out additional challenges like Army Ranger School.

The longest mission I did as a smoke jumper lasted seven days, and during that time, we often worked through the night with little sleep.

I transitioned out of the military while still active, which was a challenging decision, but in retrospect, it led to creating a valuable organization for veterans.

The journey is more important than the destination. After leaving the military, I co-founded a company not for profit, but to create a team and a sense of camaraderie, which I realized was what mattered most to me.

Smoke jumping involves jumping out of airplanes into areas where vehicles can't access, landing in tight drop zones with all our gear to put out wildfires.

While serving in the Air Force, I noticed many acquisition programs were outdated, which inspired me to innovate from the outside after leaving the military.

I wanted to become a Navy SEAL to be pushed outside my comfort zone every day, believing it was the best platform for personal growth.

I felt a strong call to service after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, which led me to enlist in the Army as a Green Beret.