• Branch of Service: Air Force (Air National Guard)
  • Highest Rank: E-5; Staff Sergeant
  • Location(s): Arkansas
  • What is your job at Mountaire Farms? Sr. Director Talent Management
  • When were you hired at Mountaire? April 2024
  • What motivated you to join the military? My oldest son is the reason that I joined the military. I was an hourly team member when he was born. He motivated me to want to do more professionally and be able to support him better. I initially joined the Air National Guard so that I could get my college paid for.
  • Why did you choose the branch of service you joined? My dad was in the Air Force, so I naturally gravitated to that branch of service.
  • What was the most valuable lesson you learned? Service Before Self. It taught me how to put others first and truly serve those around me.
  • What was the best and worst “military food” you were served? Best “military food” that I ever ate was the breakfast pizza in Afghanistan. It was incredible! The worst food I was ever served had to be the omelet MRE… by far.
  • Tell us about a funny, poignant, or moving story you experienced during your service. I have so many. It is hard to choose. I guess it would have to be the day that I returned home from Afghanistan. My wife and 4-year-old son were waiting for me when I stepped of the plane. We then went to my 7-year-old son’s school to surprise him. He was shocked and beyond happy. The teacher had all the kids in her class step out of the room so that Konner could show me what he had been working on during that school year. After I got to catch up with Konner, we started to leave the classroom. When I opened the door to leave the classroom, “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood started playing over the speakers throughout the school. The entire school, kids and teachers, was lined up along the hallway walls leading me to the exit. They were all cheering and clapping for me. The local news channel was there to film it too. It was a special, and emotional, moment for me. I don’t talk about it a lot, but I am very proud that I had the opportunity to serve my country.
  • Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. I trained to be a medic in the Air Force. I initially just joined to get college paid for, but I loved living on base and the structure of the military. I also loved being a medic! It was such a rewarding career. After I returned home from Basic Training and Tech School, I tried to go into Active Duty. At that time, the Air Force wasn’t accepting any prior service members. Even though I had just graduated from Tech School, I was now considered prior service and they would not let me move to active duty. One week later I got offered a promotion as a Production Supervisor. The rest is history 😊.