After graduating from St. John Vianney High School I enlisted into the United State Marine Corp. After completing basic training at the Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, I moved on to the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, California. I then completed Security Force Training before being assigned to the Marine Corp Security Force Battalion in Manama, Bahrain, where I served for one year. I then returned to the United States when assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines in Camp Horno, Camp Pendleton, California as an Infantry Mortarman. During my time with the 3rd Battalion I was deployed twice to combat operations in Iraq. After completing 4 years of service I received an honorable discharge from the United State Marine Corp. The time I spent in the Marines taught me many valuable skills; most importantly I learned an excellent work ethic and the ability to work well with a team as well as using independent judgment.After my time in the Marine Corp I continued my education at Lindenwood University toward a degree in Criminal Justice. While I was a full-time student, I also worked as a Loss Prevention Specialist at Macy’s. Prior to graduating I was accepted into the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Academy. Upon graduation from the Academy I was assigned to the city's 5th District. My time with the Police Department was very rewarding and I was able to utilize many of the skills I learned in the Marine Corp as well as obtaining a variety of new skills. After retiring from the Department in January of 2012, due to injuries I obtained as a patrolman, I returned to school at Maryville University to complete my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. This education has helped me to become a valuable asset to any organization, as it provided me with the formal knowledge to complement the experience I have gained.