Mark Gollinger Email and Phone Number

I’m baaack! (See Below) How could I say no when I was asked to come back? It’s only been a few weeks but I have been working with some great professionals and I am reminded of all the great things we did the first “go around”. Look us up, see what we do, and plan your trip to beautiful Montana.

I am honored and humbled to be the first State Liaison for the State’s newest State Veteran Home currently under construction in my hometown of Butte Montana. Once built, our “neighborhood” will be home to 60 of our Great Nation’s finest Veterans. I’m excited to use my unique set of skills to continue to serve my brother and sister Veterans.

I tell everyone that this a job I wanted, not one that I needed! There was no way I could pass up this opportunity to assist Veterans. I've been actively engaged as a Veteran advocate for years and passionately involved in Veteran issues. This position provided me the opportunity to utilize my skills and experience to make a difference. After retiring from the Navy, I missed guiding, leading, and mentoring young troops. Once again, I’m doing just that only now my troops can be anywhere from 20 - 90 years old. I help Veterans find meaningful jobs and careers by utilizing my experience, extensive resource network, and specialized training. As a DVOP Specialist, I place emphasis on Veterans with service-connected disabilities and serious barriers to employment such as homelessness, incarceration, and recent separation from the service. The Department of Labor defines it as “Intensive Service” utilizing the framework of case management but it’s nothing more than extremely personalized service. I get to know my Veterans, assess their needs, and help them help themselves. Every case is different. Some might need to brush up on resume skills and others might need advice on how to conduct themselves in an interview. The ones that keep me up at night are struggling with PTS, homelessness, or substance abuse. They are also the ones that when I’m successful its extremely gratifying to see the change in their lives. I help them develop and refine their job search skills, contact employers on their behalf, and often just listen to their story. I work closely with numerous Veterans' organizations, the Department of Veterans' Affairs and community-based organizations to link veterans with the appropriate resources, jobs, and training opportunities. I wake up every workday and look forward to what the day will bring me.

As part of the senior management team, I helped build this service disabled Veteran owned and operated small business that specializes in high altitude and environmental movement training. I managed all aspects of the business including client and project management, administration, information technology, and human capital. In addition, I supervised a 30+ cadre of professional instructors who have trained hundreds of military special operations, wilderness professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts. I also authored numerous contract proposals, curriculum, and program documents. Every day was an adventure. Air Force Pararescue, Navy SEALS, Marine Recon, and FBI Tactical Teams. We worked with some absolutely extraordinary professionals. Some days we rode ATVs and taught special operators advanced riding skills and other days we were in a river teaching swift water rescue techniques. My dad used to give me a hard time and wondered how I could sleep at night when I was getting paid to have fun. Great job, great company, and great people.

I established this company with the intention of providing logistics consulting and project management services to military, disaster relief, and humanitarian organizations. The Peak Inc. became the company’s primary client throughout 2009 and 2010. I had enough work to stay in business but I was offered a full-time position with The Peak Inc. in 2011 and dissolved the company shortly afterwards. The process of starting and running a company was valuable experience. I learned how the government contracting world works and became proficient with the GSA contracting process. I became intimately familiar with the struggles of a seasoned military Veteran learning to navigate the contracting world. It made me appreciate the dedication it takes to establish a small business in today’s economy.

I supervised numerous contractors during the construction of a liquefied natural gas fueling facility for the largest waste management company in Long Beach California. I conducted quality control inspections, managed project schedules, arranged city construction inspections, and enforced safety protocols. This was my first experience managing a project in the civilian world. I utilized my life experience to work with the different personalities and questionable work ethics. The experience was enlightening and GP was a great place to work.

I gained a lifetime of experience after 23 years in the United States Navy Seabees where I led construction and rehabilitation efforts in war-damaged zones around the world. I had a diverse career in increasingly responsible positions, including my last three assignments: Department Head, Naval Construction Training Center China Lake, California I was the Officer-in-Charge/Department Head of the U.S. Navy Blasting and Quarry / Water Well Drilling School. I led eight military and civilian instructors who provided high-risk training to over 400 multi-service students with zero training related mishaps. I managed the administrative requirements of the schools, staff and assigned students, an annual budget of $260K, and facilities, heavy construction equipment and an explosives inventory valued at $4.5 million dollars.Security Assistance Program Manager, Naval Special Warfare Group OneManila, PhilippinesDuring this tour, I was the Program Manager for the Naval Special Warfare portion of the U.S. Security Assistance Program in the Republic of Philippines. I coordinated counter-terrorism training between U.S. and Philippine Naval Special Warfare personnel while working within a complex and challenging socio-political environment. I also performed extensive travel throughout the Philippine Islands to survey training areas and coordinate logistics for the training teams.Logistics Officer, SEAL Team Seven Coronado, CaliforniaI provided direct logistical support to over 200 personnel performing counter-terrorism operations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. I led 15 personnel in their efforts to construct and operate three forward base camps in Iraq. In addition, I was also hand-picked to become a logistical support augmentee to the U.S. Secret Service during the 2003 APEC conference held in Bangkok, Thailand. I coordinated support between Naval Special Warfare elements, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.