Military Background

Military Background

I have been very fortunate to have had the distinction of serving my country with some of the most elite military units to ever exist. This experience has literally made me who I am today and has had an immeasurable impact of every facet of my personal and professional life. I spent over 20 years in the US Army with my entire career in Special Operations. The last 15 years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, commonly referred to as Delta Force. Prior to that my time in the Army was in Special Forces, including 5th, 1st, 11th (reserve) and 10th Special Forces Groups. I retired as a Master Sergeant in March 2004.

The high point in my military career was early the morning of December 20th, 1989 when I was one of 23 members of Delta Force who rescued CIA operative Kurt Muse from Modelo Prison in Panama City, Panama. This mission initiated 'Operation Just Cause' and is the first successful hostage rescue operation in modern US military history. This operation has been cloaked in secrecy for nearly two decades. So much so that few inside the US military or even the Spec Ops community even knew about the mission. The veil of secrecy will be lifted this summer as Kurt Muse is releasing a book about the rescue mission and his ordeal in Modelo Prison. The title of the book is 'Six Minutes to Freedom' from Citadel publishers. It is co-written by John Gilstrap and is due to be released in July 2006. Be advised to protect individuals still in US Government service many of the names in the book have been changed. I did many things I am very proud of in service of my country but without doubt I am most proud of my participation in 'Acid Gambit', the code name for the Modelo Prison rescue operation.

In addition to Panama, I saw service in Desert Storm, Somalia, Bosnia and other places on operations and activities that remain classified. In addition to my time as an assaulter in Delta Force, I spent time in weapons research & development where I initiated several products in use in Spec Ops today (see my products development page) and served as a combat marksmanship instructor training new operational members of Delta. In fact I have trained more Delta and Tier One operators in combat marksmanship skills than anyone in US Special Operations history. This is an accomplishment I am particularly proud of as Delta has earned a reputation second to none in the military shooting arena. I am proud to have contributed to that reputation in a positive way.

Some of my military schools and awards are as follows:
• Operator Training Course
• Special Forces Qualification Course
• Special Forces Military Freefall Course
• Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SF Sniper School)
• Airborne School
• Infantry Advanced Individual Training
• Jumpmaster School
• Military Freefall Jumpmaster School

and numerous other military schools and courses.

Awards and badges include:
• Bronze Star with 'V' device for actions in Panama
• Joint Service Commendation medal with 'V' device for actions during Desert Storm
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Combat Infantrymans badge
• Military Freefall Badge
• Special Forces Tab

and numerous other awards and badges.

I have been put in a unique position to be able to pass on some of the lessons learned in an environment with superb resources, excellent facilities, and absolutely first class personnel.

Much of the equipment and techniques used in today’s military environment owes it's lineage to the organization I worked with for the better part of two decades. I am proud to be a part of that lineage and stand ready, where operational classification does not apply, to pass on lessons learned in blood, sweat, and tears by individuals like myself.

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