I began my adult life out of High School in the military where I served for 5 years on active duty in the Army. I completed 2 deployments overseas and after the second my enlisted time was coming to an end, so it was time to start thinking about life outside the military. I was wanting something structured like the military but locally at the time. My friend introduced me to the Fire service, and I began to study and get the appropriate certificates and degrees for such. I started out in my hometown and after a few years moved to the Southeast Texas area to further my career. I continued with the National Guard for a few more years and finally got out as an E6 Staff sergeant. I begin at Lumberton Fire part time and quickly realized this was a department that not only wanted to strive to be better but to also better its employees. I became the Assistant Fire Chief a few years ago when approached by the Fire Chief asking if I could fulfill the position that was left void. I accepted and have since been striving to make this Fire community not only a good place to work and live but a good place to achieve more and further education with the assistance of a few intelligent and motivated personnel. We have a group of guys in this department with skills that have helped move us to a place where we are now recognized by TCFP as a certified training facility that have helped me in ways that I could not have done myself. We continue to strive to do better and create a better and safer community for our citizens. I have learned to lean on others and their experiences, no one knows 100% about anything, always feel free to rely on those with different experiences. I look forward to what the future holds and cannot wait to look back and say I was a part of that Department and their achievements long after I am gone.