Experience

My experience in the Army National Guard (ARNG) started 17 years ago as a Heating and Air Conditioning Repairer in the 367th Maintenance Company in Philadelphia, MS. I joined the Mississippi Army National Guard (MSARNG) as a Junior in high school. After graduating high school I completed my initial entry training in 2009 and returned to the 367th where my ambition, zeal and professionalism quickly caught the attention of the senior leaders within my unit. 

From the earliest days of my military career I have excelled. In 2009, I was nominated by my unit to compete in the annual Soldier of the Year Competition. After months of competitions at elevating echelons, in March of 2010, I finished as the Runner Up for the entire Mississippi National Guard. Additionally, during my time as a junior enlisted Soldier, I not only graduated from college twice (See the "Education" page for more details), but I also earned three of my five Army Achievement Medals, the Mississippi Commendation Medal, and 13 of the 20 Commander's Coins of Excellence.

In 2013, four years after entering the operational force, I was promoted to Sergeant and officially selected for my first leadership position as Squad Leader. During my almost 3 years as Squad Leader I earned two more Army Achievement Medals, an Army Commendation Medal and five more Commander's Coins of Excellence. In 2014, I was selected to attend the Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) Master Gunner Course at Fort, Huachuca, AZ. This is were my passion for Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) began. Shortly after completing the CREW Master Gunner Course, I graduated with my third college degree (See the "Education" page for more details). 

I earned the  Army Commendation Medal, mentioned above in 2015, as a result of my efforts while serving not only as Squad Leader but also as acting Platoon Sergeant; a Sergeant First Class' billet that was two ranks higher than the rank that I held at the time. In 2015, I was also granted permission to pursue my passion for EW by reclassing, or changing my military occupational specialty (MOS), to become an Electronic Warfare Specialist. I graduated the EW Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) course in February of 2016 and was promoted to Staff Sergeant shortly thereafter. In November of 2016, I received a letter in the mail informing me that I was to deploy to the Army's Central Command's (CENTCOM) area of operations in support of Operation Spartan Shield. I was quickly elevated from 298th Combined Arms Battalion to the Higher Headquarters Company (HHC) of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) and selected as the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) of Cyberspace Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA). 

To meet the Army deployment criteria, in November of 2016, I was ordered to Active Duty for Operational Support (ADOS) in order to: 1) increase the 155th ABCT's EW personnel, 2) establish the brigade's EW training plan, 3) develop the brigade's CREW Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for RCIED mitigation and force protection, and 4) identify all EW material assets within the brigade, consolidate those assets, assume responsibility for those assets, then manage their allocation and operational statuses. Within a little more than 18 months and as a Staff Sergeant, I increased the brigade's overall CREW Master Gunners (later known as Company CREW Specialist), from 3% to 57% and I increased the brigade's overall EW NCOs from 37% to 112%. I also established a home-station EW training plan for the brigade. During this time, my professionalism and leadership skills were recognized by my commanders and I was selected to represent the MSARNG at the multi-national Joint Electronic Warfare Theatre of Operation (JEWTOC) course and symposium in October of 2017.

During my time on ADOS I was nominated and accepted into the Warrant Officer Candidate program. In the latter months of 2017 my Warrant Officer packet was approved and in May of 2018, I graduated from the Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Rucker, AL. Immediately upon graduations I deferred my appointment to Warrant Officer in order to deploy with my unit as the Brigade NCOIC of CEMA. While deployed, I established the brigade's EW, CREW and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems' training plans within Kuwait for our battalions which were spread out over six different countries throughout CENTCOM. I identified, consolidated, maintained, and disseminated all organic and theatre provided EW equipment assigned to my brigade. I organized and oversaw the validation of hundreds of theater provided CREW systems; identifying hundreds of equipment vulnerabilities, outdated system programs, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in required repairs and missing components. Additionally, I not only developed the brigade's CREW SOP while deployed, but I also assisted the Brigade Cyberspace Electromagnetic Warfare Officer (CEWO) in refining the brigade's EW tactical SOP. Finally, I assisted the Brigade CEWO in developing EW plans and managing all brigade EW operations. 

In the latter months of 2018, I returned early from my deployment and immediately accepted my honorable discharge from the Army National Guard as an EW NCO and took my Oath of Office as an Army EW Warrant Officer the next day in order to attended my Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC) at Fort Sill, OK. In February of 2019, I graduated from my WOBC and return to ADOS at the MSARNG's Joint Force Headquarters (JFH) where I served as the MSARNG CEMA Coordinator. During that time I reported to the Deputy Director of Military Support (DOMS) for the Mississippi National Guard (Army and Air). In this role my understanding and knowledge of computer networking, cybersecurity, and information system program management was relied upon and leveraged by my commanders. For instance, I was selected as the DOMS' Information System Manger for the Domestic Operations (DOMOPS) Awareness and Assessment Response Tool (DAART) information system program suite. In this role I oversaw the coordination and implementation of all DAART related command staff mission requirements for all joint operations (e.g. hurricane responses in the Gulf of Mexico that required a multi-state, civilian-military, state and national agency response) and training events (i.e. Shaken Fury). I also provided technical support as needed. Additionally, I was chosen to coordinate with the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command and the MSARNG Director of Information Management to oversee and implement the Army's Alert! Mass Notification System (or simply Alert!) throughout the MSARNG. This included creating many Alert! accounts, developing account creation training presentations, multiple organization-wide system software updates, and many service calls for troubleshooting and account creation issue resolution.  

In addition to the information systems tasks mentioned above, during my time at JFH, I was assigned multiple additional duties. I was entrusted with the responsibilities of creating and managing access badges for the MSARNG JFH facility. Additionally, my leaders placed further faith and confidence in my leadership capabilities by choosing me to oversee the JFH Demobilization Assistance Team (JDAT) for the 155th ABCT. In this role, I liaised between the MSARNG Joint Operations Center (JOC), the 5th Armored Brigade at Fort Bliss, TX, the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS), and the 155th ABCT, in order to provide assistance to ensure that all demobilization requirements were successfully completed, as well as facilitate reach back capabilities for any issues that arose and required General Staff or State support. 

Also during my time at JFH, I attended the Army Space Cadre Basic Course (ASCBC) at Peterson Air Force Base, CO. After completing the ASCBC in May of 2019, I return to Mississippi and began working to make it easier for other EW Service Members within the MSARNG to also become members of the Army's Space Cadre. While working to expand the MSARNG's Space capabilities I also earned my CompTIA Network+ Cybersecurity certification in August of 2019 and my CompTIA Security+ Cybersecurity certification in September of 2019. My efforts to expand the Army's  Space Cadre into the MSARNG was made manifest when the Army Space and Missile Defense Command officially approved the MSARNG's first-ever Army Space Cadre Billets (12 total billets), in January of 2020.

In November of 2019, my ADOS orders ended and I returned to my part-time MSARNG service with my unit the HHC of the 155th ABCT. I also accepted a civilian position with Yorktown System's Group (YSG) as an Electromagnetic Warfare Specialist/Consultant for the Asymmetric Warfare Group at Fort George G. Meade, MD. This will be discussed in more detail in the later "Professional Civilian Experience" section below. 

My dedication and reliability was recognized by the 155th ABCT Commander and I was selected to replace the Brigade CEWO in November of 2020 (See the "Skills" page for more details). In February of 2021, I commissioned and accepted my promotion to Chief Warrant Officer 2. From late May through June of 2021, I attended my second NTC rotation. During this rotation I served as the 155th BDE CEWO. In this capacity I provided the CEMA leadership and expertise required to enable the brigade to performed exponentially better (with regards to CEMA), than it had during its 2017 rotation. In recognition of my tireless efforts during this rotation I was awarded my second Army Commendation Medal in August of 2021. 

My final assignment with the MSARNG was that of the Electromagnetic Warfare Technician for the 178th Cyber Protection Team. As such I mobilized to Fort George G. Meade in Maryland. During this Task Force Echo mobilization I serve as one of the Offensive Cyberspace Operation Requirements Project Managers supporting the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade. 

Today, I have been granted the extraordinary privilege of serving as the Electromagnetic Warfare Technician for the 29th Infantry Division (ID) of the Virginia National Guard. In this position, it is my responsibility to advise the 29th ID's CEMA Cheif in all things at the intersection of the Division's mission requirements, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic specturm. This includes developing training plans for the Division's subordinate units, analying potenial equipement for implimentation into the force, develop suporting documentation for stategic products used my senior leaders in key decisions, and more. 

Upon graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi (see the "Education" page for more details), I entered the non-alcoholic beverage direct store delivery (DSD) industry as a Salesman for Brown Bottling Group (BBG), which is a Pepsi Co. Distributor in Hattiesburg, MS. In this position I was responsible for: 

• establishing and maintaining productive rapports with the management teams of more than a dozen accounts, 
• identifying areas of growth by conducting continuous analysis of market factors such as major demographic and social-cultural shifts, competition offers and responses, major social or entertainment events, school dates, major business closures or new business immersions, and season and weather conditions, 
• managing all Pepsi Co. beverage inventory levels within the accounts that I was assigned based on the results of my analysis, 
• ensuring that all contractual promotions were executed effectively, 
• resolving any issues that the Store Mangers brought to my attention, 
• building any product display required for brand promotion, and, 
• ensuring that all point-of-sale marketing material were accurate, serviceable, and located in prime positions throughout the accounts. 

As with every profession that I have ever held, I gave my best effort and as a result I was highly successful. After months of success in the form of consistent, increased sales and market share growth, the leadership team for Coca-Cola Refreshments (later Clark Beverage Group) began attempting to recruit me. For months I eschewed their offers and even reported their advances to the senior leadership of BBG. My reports where met with resentment and my requests for advancement where ignored. After weeks of deliberate neglect resulting in me being ostracized, I eventually accepted Coca-Cola's very generous offer in February of 2015. 

During my time as an Account Manager for Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR), I managed three different routes including a total of 44 different small-format accounts (e.g. convenience stores, gas stations, or restaurants) and 23 different large-format accounts (e.g. major grocery stores, and/or major retail super stores). Within these accounts I was exclusively responsible for all the same tasks that I performed as a BBG Salesman, plus the following: 

• overseeing the Merchandisers assigned to my accounts (Coca-Cola employees responsible for stocking Coca-Cola products as well as building and removing product displays),
• negotiating product and service contracts for new accounts and adjusting pre-existing contracts that were less favorable to CCR,
• managing promotional discounts that resulted in long-term, strategy growth,
• marketing, promoting, and selling over 900 different product line items,
• placing and managing daily, weekly, and/or biweekly product orders that ranged from tens-of-thousands to hundreds-of-thousands dollars per order,
• coordinating with the Mississippi Department of Health to resolve expiration issues in low volume accounts to ensure quality control and reduce corporate liability,
• promoting the Coca-Cola Corporation as a Brand Ambassador and,
• closing any accounts that went out of business.

Although my time as an Account Manger was significantly more challenging, success with CCR was also significantly more rewarding. In 2015, I earned three consecutive quarters of growth in overall sales and revenue (Q2, Q3, Q4). I also significantly improved customer relationships in 97% of my total 67 accounts. In the first quarter of 2016 CCR sold its distribution rights to Clark Beverage Group, which caused significant disruptions to the normal operations. Then as mentioned above, in 2016 I was ordered to Active Duty Orders of Service with the MSARNG which eventually ended my employment with CCR/Clark Beverage Group.

After three years of Active Duty service with the MSARNG, I return to the civilian workforce as a Contractor for Yorktown Systems Group (YSG) in November of 2019. As a YSG Contractor, I served the Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) as an Electromagnetic Warfare Specialist/Consultant. During my time at AWG, I assisted in the continued development of the Radio Frequency Theory (RF Theory) program of instruction (POI). I, along with other members of the Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) Troop, traveled to Army units across the country from Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. We offered this instruction in one week instructor-led courses, or two week train-the-trainer courses. During these missions we provided instruction to Electromagnetic Warfare (EW), Signals Intelligence, and Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Soldiers, Officers, and Warrant Officers. The instruction was designed to further the Service Members' understanding of: 1) radio frequency fundamentals and basic techniques, 2) general mathematic concepts, 3) algebraic concepts, 4) calculating Ohm's Law and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), 5) calculating radio frequency values, 6) antenna theory, 7) software defined radios, 8) digital signal processing, 9) building functional EW tools, and 10) direction finding fundamentals. After providing this instruction during multiple missions, the CEMA Troop command team entrusted me with the responsibility of leading the final RF Theory Train-the-Trainer mission to 1st Armored Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. 

In addition to the RF Theory POI, whilst at AWG, I contributed significantly to the Army updates to its Field Manual 3-12, Cyberspace and Electromagnetic Warfare Operations, and Army Training Publication 3-12.4, Electromagnetic Warfare Platoon. I provided basic information technology consultations to AWG members. I provided CEMA expertise to other Squadrons within AWG as they supported the 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team during their National Training Center rotation. But most importantly, during my time at AWG, I co-authored the Army's first official Electromagnetic Warfare Training Strategy (EWTS) as requested by the Army Forces Command and Cyber Center of Excellence. Of all my contributions to this great nation, I am proudest of the hard work and effort that we put into creating the EWTS. And of all my years service, I am proudest of the opportunity that I was given to serve the Asymmetric Warfare Group. 

In 2022, I accepted my present position. Currently I serve as an I.T. Cybersecurity Specialist with the Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, or MARFORCYBER. One of my primary duties is to take mission requirements from mission partners and translate those requirement into effective soultions that enable successful operations through cyberspace. 

Additional, I create and update Joint Mission Operations Center (JMOC) training standards for multiple cyberspace operations (CO) combat platforms. I oversee creation and de-commissioning of a variety of local area networks designed to meet unique mission requirements. Once created I manage the day-to-day activities of the active LANs within the aforementioned CO combat platforms, until those LANs are no longer needed. 

I provide guidance and clarity to Mission Team, Cyber Tactical Operation Centers, and senior JMOC Directors with regards to my assined responsibilities. I also, develop JMOC policies and plans for addressing novel operatonal requirements. And lastly, I attend hiring and recuriting events on behalf of the JMOC Mission Management Directorate. 

This is not a complete list of my responsibilities but an overarching summary of key focus areas in my current role.