BLUF: Military Veteran, 4 years working in IT, Top Secret clearance, member of the Virginia Air National Guard and obsessed with sourdough bread and sailing.

IF you would like to deep dive that BLUF, please keep reading or continue on to another section. Might I recommend my resume?

Hold on to your hats folks because here we gooooooo:

I was born on a cold march morning, in a log cabin built by my fore fathers….wait too far back.

I was born and raised near Portland, Oregon. I entered the US Army at post high school and served for just shy of 7 years active duty. while in the army I served as a Chaplain Assistant, a clerical role in a religious setting. I also volunteered to be a paratrooper (those folks that exit airplanes before they land) were I was given the opportunity to test my faith every time the parachute opened 0.0000075 seconds late. After the Army I joined the Air National Guard in order to receive networking training and to continue my military career.

After leaving the Active military, I found myself in the new and excited world of working for a civilian company. I initially made the mistake of working as a commercial truck driver. I loathed that job and quit the career 3 months in. Thankfully my true calling was right around the corner. I was able to attend a free CompTIA A+ class in downtown Portland. Tuition was covered by a philanthropic arm of CompTIA.

After graduating with my A+ certification, i took a job traveling the country upgrading US Navy Desktops from Windows 7 to Windows 10.I worked nights while users were asleep leaving brand new computers set up on their desks. I was the IT Santa Claws. It was a great start in IT and I was able to see a lot of amazing places and learn about 

My big shift happened while talking with a contractor about working for FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineers in Puerto Rico. The Federal Government had a massive mission to restore power and daily lives to the American territory of Puerto Rico. while there i was able to serve as a higher level of IT support. I worked 12 hour shifts, seven days a week for 7 months. It was hands down the most influential experience i have ever had as a professional. And I will never forget the warmth of the people, the amazing cuisine and coffee, or the culture at large.

During my last month in Puerto Rico, I was accepted to Old Dominion University to study Cyber security. I returned home to Portland, Oregon packed up my family and we moved cross country to the city of Norfolk. I am happy to say that all of our hard work is paying off. I now live in a great climate, my wife is fulfilled working her dream job, and I am able to take a break from military life and learn about the exciting field of cyber security. 

Personally, I love to bake and cook with sourdough bread and cast iron cooked medium rare steak based in butter being my favorite things to make. I am a huge fan of Science Fiction. The series I am currently reading is the The Expanse. I dream of traveling the world on my own sailboat. To prepare for that dream, I own a 25 foot Mcgregor sailboat that I am in the process of restoring. My boat, Zena should be ready to sail for the first time this spring. And I look forward to exploring the Chesapeake bay with her.