Home of the 15th STB UMT

There are several more significant points in my life, one of those days was in December, 1975. I was born in Fargo, North Dakota, which is about 200 miles east of where I grew up, in Bismarck, ND.

In 1993, the reality of paying for college was settling, so I joined the North Dakota National Guard to help. I went to basic training that same year at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The next summer, I took off for Fort Rucker to learn helicopter maintenance (67N), specifically for the UH-1 "Huey." While at AIT (Advanced Individual Training), I caught ahold of the Army's culture and values, to the point of becoming the distinguished honor graduate.

At a church camp in Jr. high, God called me to pursue full-time ministry, but I had no clear direction what form this would take. After the summer of AIT, I told my dad I felt called to match the two together and become an Army Chaplain. He then told me, "I knew that all along!"

From the frigid flatland of North Dakota, to the much warmer Minneapolis, Minnesota I moved to a small college downtown, North Central University. Here, at the end of my third year, Gloria and I started getting to know each other. Just over a year later, we were married.

Gloria and I moved to Missouri to attend seminary at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary just before our first anniversary. While in Missouri, we worked with initial entry soldiers at a weekly chapel service for several years, and then moved into an associate pastoral role in a small town nearby.

While in Seminary, I transitioned from the National Guard as a mechanic, to the Chaplain Candidate Program in the US Army Reserve. With the direct commission, I was able to train with chaplains over each summer (Fort Knox, KY - 2002; Fort Jackson, SC - 2003; Fort Bragg, NC - 2004; United States Military Academy, NY - 2005). These experiences were each rewarding on various levels.

Finally, after pursuing chaplaincy for over 11 years, I was called to Active Duty service December, 2005.

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