Having served in the Marine Corps for almost 16 years, spending over ten of those in Marine Special Operations, I was eager to discover the next step in my life. But I was nervous about what I was going to do. In all honesty, I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do other than to be some sort of entrepreneur.

I had heard from a lot of my peers about THF and how great it had been. Mostly they described it as a great place to network and meet awesome people. That was the understatement of the century. During my three months as a fellow, I met peers, coaches, mentors, and professionals that overwhelmed my expectations. I remember being blown away on the first night of the cohort when I met many of the people that I would be working with. Before a single lesson ever occurred, I identified two things. One, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Two, I had made an incredibly positive life-changing decision.

And the THF followed through on every promise that they made to us. They taught us valuable skills through their passionate involvement and ability to be vulnerable in a room full of strangers. It was a masterclass of ‘lead by example’ that I hope to emulate for the rest of my career. The greatest gift that I received from the Honor Foundation, however, was direction. And through that I found purpose, something that I had not previously understood the value of. When I came to understand my purpose, as I defined it, I was able to figure out where to go next and do so with the confidence that only someone who understands their value can do.

I do not think that the staff of THF understand the value of what they provide to their fellows, and later their alumni. They take a group of people whom they have never met and give them such powerful tools. My life, both personal and professional, has already been impacted in such an incredible way by the things that I learned and the people who taught me at the THF. All that I can say is thank you. And I hope that I can continue to be a member of the THF family for many years to come.