"I clear the defense so that the team can find the end zone." What does this mean?Growing up in a single parent home, I only got to see my father every other weekend. Besides helping him in the family business, we spent every Sunday in the fall watching football together. Just as soon as I was able, I suited up. Like my dad, I wanted to be a center and linebacker. I remember working as hard as I could at those positions - and I was pretty good until high school - when peers grew bigger and taller than me. Pop would often remind me that solid technique and a good scheme balanced across a team dynamic usually beats size and strength. And he was right.I was a great offensive lineman and grew to love the game dearly. Mostly, I loved calling blocking schemes to open up lanes for our running backs or calling protections to give our Quarterback time to pass the ball. I found that the more effort I put in to setting the scheme, the more apt our team was at finding the end zone. And thus why I truly loved the game.I found this same opportunity in the Marine Corps as a Combat Engineer Officer. For more than two decades I have been blessed to be a servant leader of Marines in garrison and combat, across the globe. As a commanding officer, strategic planner, operations and resource manager, or maintenance supervisor, the defense was always present and the enemy got a vote. The more effort I put into mastering my craft and finding efficiency in process and procedures however, the better prepared my team was to accomplish the mission. But most important, with sets and reps, confidence grew across my team and the less they needed my input to achieve success. And that is the true secret of leadership - "to clear the defense so that all can find the end zone."I am driven to mission success in every endeavor and willing to put forth the added sacrifice required to achieve success. Goal is to ensure my family is protected and able to enjoy any opportunity presented.