Service Array:
Individual Skill Development and Enhancement
My background as a child and through adulthood was filled with bullies, violence, death of loved ones, alcohol, drugs, heartbreak, suicide attempts, and ridicule from those who were supposed to care for me. I was uprooted from my home where I watched my mom suffer through cancer from age eight to thirteen, I felt as if her life was often left in my hands. Once my mother passed my father spent more time away from home where my brother and I had a house to ourselves that we filled with drugs and alcohol. Eventually my dad got remarried and we moved to Wisconsin. During my time in high school, when everyone else had simply given up and declared that I was just a hopeless kid, I met a teacher that is still my mentor to this day. There have been many times throughout my life where I pretended everything was okay but friends like this mentor and others knew better and helped save me from myself. What they showed me was that it doesn’t matter how far you’ve fallen or how deep that pit is that you think you’re stuck in, there is always a way out. The trick is that we have to do the work but it’s a lot easier to figure it out when there’s someone who can guide you that has not only similar experiences but also has a strong belief in you.
Shortly after high school I joined the Navy where I was on active duty for nine years. There I learned to push through the grind and take more responsibility with self-discipline. Now that I’m back in the civilian world I’ve found that through the use of physical activities I am able to more easily process the troubles of my past and the struggles to remain steadfast on my goals. Specifically I practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu nearly every single day. I love to compete, for instance I competed at Master Worlds in Las Vegas on September 2nd 2023. At the academy I train at, I help coach the kids class ages 6-10 three times a week where I take pride watching each of the students confidence grow.
The reason I have gravitated to this job is because I understand how it feels to think you’re hopeless or that others around you feel you are. I am living proof that there is a way to get back on track even though it might not be easy to see. The healing process is different for everyone but no matter the challenge there is a way. The path to growth may feel lonely but it never has to be done alone.