It wasn’t because of some deep-rooted feeling of patriotism that Paul joined the Army, despite coming from a long line of veterans. At 20 years old, living on his own in Arizona, he decided he not only needed something better for himself—he wanted it.
One day, he walked into a building that housed recruiting offices for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army. He briefly stepped into the Navy office, said nope, strolled past the Air Force recruiter, then walked into the Marine Corps office where he was met by an intense Marine recruiter. Again, he said nope. Finally, he walked into the Army office and was greeted by the stereotypical G.I. Joe-looking soldier — the kind of man we all envision when we think of a United States Army soldier. Twenty minutes into their conversation, he signed on the dotted line and began preparing for basic training.
Paul served from 1996 until 2016. He may not have joined out of patriotism, but that changed as soon as he became a United States Soldier. He learned and embodied the brotherhood and camaraderie that come with the title. He learned accountability, integrity, discipline, and the core fundamentals of leadership.
He also came to understand the importance of bringing each of his Soldiers home from war. More importantly, he understood that many of them would return carrying invisible wounds, the ones no one talks about, the ones that keep people up at night. While he is extremely honored and proud to have brought his Soldiers home, he knew that for many of them, the fight would never truly be over.
During his career, Paul completed six combat tours, serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Oman, Jordan, and Romania. He also completed three combat support tours and spent time stationed in Germany and South Korea.
Nine and a half years into his Army career, Paul decided he needed another challenge. What challenge was that? Just the simple task of becoming an Army Ranger.
Paul describes his time as a Ranger this way: “I showed up for 62 days of awesomeness. I was the oldest guy at nearly 30 years old. I didn’t sleep or eat, walked forever up and down every type of terrain, carried everything and everyone, climbed mountains…”
He continues, “Jumped out of planes, froze his butt off, man huddled with other men to stay warm, navigates swamps, swam with alligators and snakes…”
Then he goes on to explain that “I had bloody feet and poop (at times), shot a lot of ammo, led several teams, rode in a zodiac, showered once…maybe twice…”
And with a smile he says, “Graduated with top peer reviews and first time through all 3 phases… Just for a small tab that says I’m not a quitter.”
When asked what transitioning from active duty to civilian life was like, his response is a little surprising. He said it was “pretty easy.”
That comes with a caveat: he attended all the transition assistance meetings and did the work to learn what resources were available to him. He didn’t sit back and think, “I’ll cross this bridge when I get there.” He knew he needed to prepare for the next chapter and set himself up for success by getting a head start on his VA benefits and making sure his t’s were crossed and his i’s were dotted.
He recommends that anyone preparing to leave the military do their due diligence and attend transition assistance classes. He also encourages service members to begin the VA benefits process while still on active duty because they have
easier access to the Department of Defense and can maintain an open line of communication throughout the process.
To anyone thinking about joining the military, Paul says, “Do it, jump in feet first.”
Take the leap of faith and run with it. Learn everything you can. Read as many books about leadership as possible. Set yourself up for success and don’t give up. It’s not going to be easy, but damn it will be worth it.
Paul retired after dedicating 20 years to the Army. He began his civilian corporate career with Johnson & Johnson, where he quickly learned the importance of emotional intelligence. Through leadership courses and professional development opportunities, he discovered that military leadership structures don’t always translate directly into the civilian world. He made the necessary adjustments to lead his team effectively at J&J.
He was humble enough to admit that he still had a lot of growing to do and embraced the “softer” side of life.
Paul became involved with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association(R) in 2019 after a trip to Sturgis. He was intrigued by their cuts and had several genuine conversations with members of the group he met there.
He speaks highly of the additional family he has gained through CVMA. He loves the brotherhood and sisterhood it has brought back into his life. Their mission is simple: veterans helping veterans. They stay involved in their communities and support organizations that assist service members, veterans, and their families.
Each individual involved in CVMA understands that they have a place to turn on the hard days…the days when they simply need someone to listen to their stories and provide support.
Paul is also heavily involved in advocating for and empowering the homeless veteran population in Colorado Springs through his work with The Salvation Army. While he was successful at what he did with J&J, he now feels like he is truly giving back to his community where he’s found true purpose and passion.
Listening to him talk about his work with The Salvation Army and the way his CVMA chapter supports service members, veterans, and their families, it becomes clear that he possesses far more patriotism than he ever could have imagined as that 20-year-old young man sitting across from G.I. Joe.
Paul will celebrate the big 5-0 on June 14, alongside Flag Day and the United States Army’s 251st birthday.
When asked what it means to share his special day with the Army, he explained, “I missed a lot of dates while being in the Army – childbirth, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, birthdays, and everything between. No matter where I was in the world…I took joy in knowing that the Army was celebrating me on my birthday which just happens to be theirs too!”
