I hail from Whitesburg, Kentucky and graduated from Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky, in May 1986, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History.  In May 2001, I received my Master of Arts Degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University.

I was a Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program at Morehead, and in May 1986, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.  My military schooling includes the Command and General Staff Officers' Course and Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Engineer Officers' Basic and Advanced Course and Sapper Leader School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Airborne School, Fort Benning Georgia, Air Assault School, and the Jump Master Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  I was selected for the U.S. Army War College in 2006.

I have held a variety of command and staff positions. Previous assignments include; Engineer Battalion Commander, Engineer Majors’ and Lieutenant Colonels’ Assignment Officer at Human Resource Command, Alexandria, Virginia; S3, 1^st Engineer Brigade and Executive Officer, 35^th Engineer Battalion Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri from June 1998 to June 2000; Chief, Doctrine Development Division, Maneuver Support Center, June 1997 to June 1998.  I also served as an Engineer Observer Controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Polk, Louisiana from June 1994 to June 1997; Company Commander, A Company, 27^th Airborne Engineer Battalion and Aide De Camp for the Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina from April 1991 to June 1994.  I served as the assistant S1 for the 20^th Airborne Engineer Brigade in Desert Shield/Desert Storm from August 1990 to April 1991.  As a company commander I deployed my company to support relief efforts during Hurricane Andrew in Dade County, Florida where I was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal.  Other significant assignments include assistant S3, 27^th Airborne Engineer Battalion, and Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, 10th Engineer Battalion (Combat, Mechanized), Kitzingen, Germany.

My military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for service in Desert Storm, the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Silver Oak Leaf, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two campaign stars, the Army Service Ribbon, the Saudi Arabia/Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation.  I am Air Assault qualified, and a Master Rated Parachutist.  Oh by the way – I sale Real Estate!