Testimonials

I knew I had a calling to the military on September 11, 2001. I was homeschooled at the time, and my father called my mother and told her to turn on the TV. I saw the second plane crash into the South Tower. After that, I stepped out of the living room. That’s when it hit me like a lightning bolt: You need to go into the military.

That conviction has been with me ever since.

At Franciscan University, I was a member of the first Army Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC). As a senior, I ended up writing my thesis about how soldiers are called to be like Christ—ready to sacrifice our lives for others. That’s ultimately why I joined the military—to protect and defend America and our freedoms.

My faith has sustained me through all my years of service. It’s helped me take my oath to serve seriously, to be willing to live and die for something greater than myself. It’s helped me understand suffering, teaching me how to find meaning and not give up when things are hard. It’s kept me calm, even when there’s a storm around me. It has shown me the importance of respecting others, through my actions and words. And it has helped me be a leader, with a commitment to virtue, both on the job and off.

I credit that faith to my parents and to my time at Franciscan University. Those relationships and experiences set my moral compass and taught me what leadership is. Now, it’s my job to build leaders in the military, men and women who will go on to lead in their families, communities, workplaces, and government. I’m handing on what I’ve received. Not just with words, but with who I am. I pray that’s a work that will bear fruit for centuries to come.