Where did you serve and what did you do?

I was a field radio operator in the United States Marine Corps from 2006 to 2011, serving with 1st Marine Airwing in Okinawa, Japan, CJTF-HOA in Djibouti, Africa, and 7th Marine Regiment / Regimental Combat Team 7 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The Marine Recruiter wasn’t lying when he said I’d get to travel the world. By the time I was 22-years-old I’d set foot on four continents.

How are you Still Serving?

Today I work as a VFW Accredited County Veteran Service Officer for Sioux and Dawes Counties in the northwest corner of the Nebraska Panhandle. I was the 2023-24 District of Nebraska All-State Team Captain and All-American Post Quartermaster, and 2024-25 Aide de Camp to the National Commander, and I volunteer with Post 6970 in Harrison, and 1375 in Chadron. I’m still serving the rural Veterans of the Nebraska Panhandle by driving Veterans and their spouses to an annual Mission of Mercy mass dental clinic in Yutan, Nebraska, in conjunction with the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. Over the last two years we’ve logged 1,724 miles driving from Western to Eastern Nebraska, and gotten close to $100,000 worth of free dental care for Veterans. I’ve logged an additional 2,652 miles traveling to Lincoln to testify on Veteran’s legislation before the Nebraska Legislature, never charging the counties for mileage or my time when doing so.

Why do you do it?

I struggled with my transition to civilian life. Since 2011, I’ve lost more of Marines I served with to drug overdoses and suicide than I’ve lost to combat. My goal in life is to ensure that the Veterans I serve have the support and resources they need to adapt and overcome to service-connected conditions and the lasting impacts of the wars we’ve fought. I work tirelessly and selflessly to ensure that the promises made to the men and women who signed the contract to fight for our country are honored by both State and Federal Government.