Branch, Years Served, & Job in the Military:
Texas Army NG, United States Navy, Pennsylvania Army NG, 1992-1994, 1994-1998, 2002-2005, Quartermaster and Chemical Equipment Repairer (63J), Sonar Technician Submarines (STS), Infantryman (11B)
Service History:
I joined the Texas Army NG right out of high school and liked it so much I wanted to go on active duty. I wanted to live in Hawaii, but the Army wouldn't send me there, so I joined the Navy on active duty and became a Sonar Technician on a submarine and was stationed in Hawaii. I traveled all over the Pacific and Indian oceans and went to the Persian Gulf. I did boring things and top-secret missions. I left the military but missed it, so I went back into the Pennsylvania Army NG after completing my associate’s degree and served for a few years as an Infantryman.
Deployments and/or Activations:
I deployed on 2 WESTPAC’s (6-month Naval deployments) to the Pacific and Indian oceans as well as deploying to the Persian Gulf to support a carrier group in 1997. I completed 5 SPECOPS (Special Operations) while on submarines – the USS Helena SSN 725 and the USS Birmingham SSN 695. I traveled to Japan, Guam, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Bahrain, Canada, and the Panama Canal.
Favorite Military Memory:
While in the Navy, my submarine surfaced on the international date timeline and the equator, and we had a BBQ and went swimming. Well worth the sunburn.
Current Degree Plans & Academic Goals:
Completing my MBA with TAMUCC in December 2025.