I was born in Austin, Texas, in 1979. We grew up extremely poor in Central Texas, but we made the best of what we had. I got myself into quite a bit of trouble and continued down that path for many years—until, by the grace of God, I woke up one day, left it all behind, and never looked back.

In 2000, I joined the United States Marine Corps and deployed to various locations, including Cuba, Sicily, and participated in the invasion of Iraq. In 2004, I joined the U.S. Army and returned to Iraq multiple times as a .50 caliber machine gunner and gun truck commander. In 2005, I was wounded in Iraq and medevaced to the Green Zone in Baghdad. I continued to serve and deploy even after that injury.

When my military service came to an end, I worked at a Level One trauma hospital in Austin while attending night classes to earn my firefighter and EMT certifications. In recent years, I’ve focused on rebuilding my mental and physical health, as well as strengthening my relationship with God. I’ve gone down many dark roads and hit more dead ends than I can count—but I kept pushing forward, and by God’s grace, I’m still standing today.

The reason we created S1S is simple: to help veterans who are struggling, stuck, and unsure of where to turn or how to move forward. We’re here to provide direction, guidance, and support. We’ll help you navigate the challenges with real resources and real people who care. The only thing you need to bring is a willingness to grow, to move forward, and to become the best version of yourself.

It’s an honor to serve!