How did the events of that day shape your life and inspire your service to this country?
On 9/11, I had over 18 years in service, was married for about a year, and had a three-week old son. I was looking forward to two more years of service, retire at 20 years, and get a second career going somewhere away from the military. When I came home that night, late (3rd SFG immediately went into a planning cycle to take account of what was available to respond with and how quickly), my wife met me at the door with my son in her arms, and asked if I saw what happened. I said I did, and she asked if this (will) take a long time to sort out? I said it will, but we would probably respond almost immediately. She then told me, in absolutely no uncertain terms, that I was going to fight, for as long as I could, and as long as the military would let me. The Spartan wife in her basically told me to come home carrying my shield, or on it! So over the next six and-a-half years, I deployed five times with the Army Special Forces, each deployment six months in length. Once I returned home from one deployment, I would turn around and get into a training cycle with the next ODA and deploy again the next year. Over six deployments in my career, I earned six Bronze Stars (three for Valor), a Joint Service Commendation Medal, an Air Force Commendation Medal for Valor, and three Army Commendation Medals (one for Valor).
