Service Forward: From the U.S. Army to Life at Thales

What did your career in the U.S. Army look like?

Military service has been part of my family for generations, dating back to General John Glover, who helped General Washington cross the Delaware River in 1776, to my grandfather, who served as a U.S. Army psychologist in WWII, to my father, who served as a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon in Vietnam.  

I wanted to be part of that legacy. I first enlisted as an Infantryman in 1997 and later served with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. From there, I moved into personal security for the commanding general of Joint Special Operations Command for two years before attending flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama. I was selected to fly the AH-64D Apache and later transitioned to the AH-6 Little Bird with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), where I spent the remainder of my career before retiring in 2017. In total, I completed 17 combat deployments and logged nearly 3,000 flight hours, including over 2,000 in combat.

What drew you to Thales after your military career?

I used Thales equipment (MBITR radios) throughout my time with the 160^th SOAR, so I was already familiar with the company and knew its systems were high-quality and reliable in the field. I also flew with Helmet Mounted Displays (HMDs) in the Apache helicopter, so the idea of working with a company offering HMD technology really interested me.

How has your experience in the U.S. Army influenced your approach to your work at Thales?

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my service is that clear, honest communication is critical to any team’s success, and that information must flow freely in both directions – both up and down the chain of command. That idea has stayed with me in my current role at Thales, where I continuously strive to improve communication with both my team and leadership.

Along with communication, the importance of accountability and integrity has also carried over into my current role. Bad news never gets better with time, so I learned early on that it’s always better to raise issues quickly, take responsibility, and focus on solutions rather than delay or avoid difficult conversations.

Maintaining connections with friends I flew with or served alongside overseas has also been a real benefit in my business development and sales role. The picture below shows me and another Chief Warrant Officer 5 in front of the Thales demonstration helicopter. He was someone I went to flight school with over 20 years ago, and it was that longtime friendship and continued connection that helped make his flight possible.

What makes you most proud of both your military service and your work at Thales?

I’m most proud of the fact that I volunteered multiple times (initial enlistment, Airborne School, the Ranger Regiment, flight school, and the 160th SOAR) to serve my country. I did my best to serve well, and I believe I was able to make a meaningful contribution during a very uncertain time in our country following the September 11th attacks. 

That sense of purpose sticks with me today, and at Thales I work with technologies that help keep my friends who remain in uniform safe and enable them to contribute more effectively to their missions. Whether it’s a multiband radio like the MBITR, an HMD for platforms like the AH-1Z Cobra gunship, counter-UAS systems, or inertial navigation units that allow aircrews to continue a mission even in GPS-denied environments, I’m proud to help deliver solutions that make a real difference for soldiers in the field every day.