During the Army:
Entered Service on July 05, 1999 when I went to Basic Training and the Military Police Academy at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. I volunteered to join the Old Guard while at the academy (a recruiter came from the Honor Guard) and then reported to Fort Myer in December of 1999. I was in the 289th MP Co(-), attached to Hotel Company (the 289th should have been called a platoon!). I tried out for the Tomb in January of 2001, received my Badge (#494) in August of that year. I went to the promotion board a few months later and went to PLDC in January of 2002, and was promoted to a Non Commissioned Officer as a Sergeant in March. Served on First Relief and filled in on 2nd until I was sent back to the 289th to receive team leader experience. During the six months I was back in the 289th, I was chosen and interviewed for a Congressional Escort position and was the first member in the history of the 289th to get that job. Starting in June, I traveled all over the world (mostly to the Middle East) with various delegations of House and Senate members. I was also called back to the Tomb to help out due to the (normal) manpower shortage there. Stayed at the Tomb alternating between reliefs and going on escort missions till I ended my contractual obligation in June of 2004

Current Occupation:
I'm a full-time student at University of South Florida and I'm pursuing a degree in Nursing.

Family Information:
I was married on July 17th of 2004 to Claire Fontenot - my girlfriend/fiancée/best friend of 2 years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Degrees/Schooling:
Primary Leadership Development Course
Military Police Academy, Ft Leonard Wood, MO
University of South Florida

Most Memorable Moment at Tomb:
There were so many it really is hard to pick from them all. I think I have forgotten some of the best. Walking became my favorite thing to do. Just being outside with the Unknowns in the dead of winter and nobody else was around. That was always special. 

However, I took a lot of pride in training the New Men. I had a lot of other Badgeholders setting the best example around me (SSG Grubel, SGT Basso, SSG Griffin) and most of the time I couldn't hold a candle to their examples, efficiency, or successes that they had as trainers. But I did my best to convey to New Men what was the MOST important thing about being a Sentinel: The Unknowns. I tried to convey the sacrifice and lengths and why it was so special that we did the very best that we could to honor their memory. The ones that really wanted to be at the Tomb (and for the right reasons) understood what I was saying. 

My favorite memory stems from what I considered my crowning achievement as a trainer: SPC Ryan Ball. He spent over month trying to earn his First Walk. On the day he earned it I spoke to him about what the Unknowns meant to me and I got very emotional and teary-eyed. I looked at him and he was crying too. I knew then that SPC Ball had his heart in the right spot. He got a walk that day, and went to become a Badge Holder.

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