As I celebrate my birthday today, it’s hard not to look back at my life and think about where I’ve been, where I am and where I am going. If I’m being honest, I never imagined making it this far. I once heard a fellow special operations guy say “all warriors either want to die on the battlefield in their twenties or in their bed peacefully in their 90s. That’s it.” When I left the military, I only had the vaguest idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I had spent a decade honing skills to hunt down, capture, and kill bad guys. In special operations, creativity and the ability to think and act under extreme pressure and duress are part of the job description. So outside those tools...I didn’t know what was next. I was fortunate enough to connect with fellow special operations veterans, first through Army Wives in Charleston, and then through out my career in film. Chad Gleaton helped me on the first steps to what would become my new life. Now, ten years later, I celebrate a life that is no longer defined by a daily struggle between life and death. I have an amazing wife, two incredible kids, a small menagerie of animals, my own house, a career that allows me to connect with others and help them achieve their own dreams. I am fortunate enough to be able to train and compete in BJJ, and have achieved things I never would’ve imagined. I am beyond grateful to my family, my friends, my brothers and sisters in arms, and every coordinator, director, producer, and person who was willing to give me a shot. My heart is truly filled with gratitude, and I’m both humbled and excited by where my life is at right now. Thank you, all. I love y’all. And I’m looking forward to what this next year brings.