Aaron’s story holds themes of dedication, resilience, and a deep commitment to family and service. With a father and twin brothers who all served in the Marine Corps, Duty, honor, and courage are all values that helped shape Aaron from an early age, and became his foundation as he embarked on his own military career.
A Family Legacy of Service
Aaron’s inspiration to join the Marine Corps was clear: it was part of the family tradition. In his own words, “I guess you could say it is the family business. My father is a Marine (Korea) and my twin brothers are Marines (Iraq and Afghanistan). Each of us felt a calling to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, to do our part to protect the American people and our way of living, which was only amplified following the attacks on 9/11. We challenged each other to be the best growing up, and that didn’t stop when it came time to embark on a career path–if you’re going to serve, you might as well do it with the best.” For Aaron, the challenge was not just about serving, that was in his blood—it was about being the best of the best, which meant joining the Marine Corps.
Rewarding Experiences and Lasting Bonds
Reflecting on his time in service, Aaron shares that the most rewarding aspect was the camaraderie and teamwork with the Marines he served with. “Hands down it was serving with the thousands of men and women over my 9 years.” He continued, “Getting to know these humans at the most intimate levels only reinforced my reasons for becoming a Marine in the first place.“
The bonds formed during this time are lifelong, and these experiences helped shape him into the person he is today. The phrase “It’s like seeing an old friend” takes on a whole new meaning when you get a group of Marines in the same room.
Military Experience Shaping Civilian Success
After transitioning out of the military, Aaron faced the challenge of choosing his next steps into civilian life. He knew that his career path needed to align with his values and vision for the future, especially with his family’s well-being in mind. The transition wasn’t easy, and typically isn’t, but the leadership, problem-solving skills, and sense of discipline engrained in him by the Marine Corps proved to be more than invaluable.
The biggest challenge? “Deciding who I wanted to be, the pathway to get there, and how to provide for my family while I continued to plan and execute that plan.” Read that sentence again… transitioning servicemembers, unlike their civilian counterparts aren’t just jumping from one job to another, but are making decisions as they pertain to identity after the service.
After a brief stint in logistics, Aaron saw what a successful transition to civilian life looked like, but knew early on that logistics wasn’t the right fit for him and he was back to the drawing board.
“Leaning on new lessons learned and previous job hunt experience led me to a role in higher education where I spent nearly a decade before coming to Military Friendly®.”
We asked Aaron to dive a little bit deeper into the experiences that led to him joining our team. “While exploring a career change in 2023 from higher education and exploring potential government contractors, I received an email invitation to attend a Virtual Job Fair that was hosting some of the companies I had been targeting. While attending, I noticed a booth labeled VIQTORY. Being a Marine, my curiosity peaked when I saw the “misspelled” work and splash of bright color over the logo. After some brief research and conversation with the booth rep, it was clear what my next move would be. We all have to do something that is considered “work” to sustain life, and I wanted to do that with an organization that closely replicated what I experienced in the military, continue to be a part of something bigger than myself, and help those who served.” Aaron joined the team almost immediately and has been an integral part of our success ever since.
His diverse experiences have shaped the way he approaches his work, always driven by the same values he learned in the military. Today, Aaron is helping organizations recognize the incredible potential in military veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members by showing schools, employers, and brands the wealth of experience, perspective, and ability they bring to the table.
Supporting Military Talent in the Civilian Workforce
In his role, Aaron works with organizations to help them better recruit, retain, and advance members of the military community. When we asked what his motivation is, without hesitation he replied, “Easy–when they win the entire military community wins.” We went on to ask him what he felt business professionals in the civilian workforce should know about hiring veterans, transitioning service members, or military spouses, and we couldn’t have put it better ourselves –
“When you think of your highest performers, your problem solvers, your transformational leaders, and your folks who flat-out get it done what do they all have in common? You’ll find exactly that, building out an organization that you can be assured will come in and have a positive impact from day one when you bring in talent from the mil/vet/spouse community.”
Members of the military community bring unique leadership qualities, resilience, and a strong work ethic to the workplace, which will benefit any team. It’s not just about finding a job for a veteran—it’s about helping them thrive in their civilian careers.
Family Life and Values
The impact of military service doesn’t just apply to the service members, it affects the entire family. Regardless life stage, service impacts every aspect of your life. Aaron gave us the perfect example of how his military experience has influenced his family life. “It has been a major influence. In fact, we decided not to start a family until after exiting the military. While it is certainly doable, and many thrive while balancing military life and family, my wife and I decided to wait until all focus and attention could be placed on raising a family in a stable environment.”
Aaron prioritizes the balancing of his career with family life, staying present for the important moments in his children’s lives. “In both my personal and professional life I maintain discipline in each aspect by being where my feet are–being present in the moment. Time flies and you are always living in the good ole days, some things can wait if it means you don’t miss out on important milestones or events.”
We asked what values instilled in him during his time in the service he has carried into his everyday life as a professional and as a family member and he broke it down perfectly –
“I imagine just about any Marine’s answer here will be similar–Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
Here is the textbook version: These values guide every Marine’s actions and help them:
- Win battles (from Iraq to negotiating with a 6-year-old)
- Develop quality citizens
- Fight and win, even in personal situations, combat, or when faced with injustice
- Treat others with dignity and respect
- Adhere to higher standards of personal conduct
- Be devoted to professionalism and discipline
- Explained
- Honor: Marines abide by a code of integrity, are honest and truthful, and encourage new ideas.
- Courage: Marines have the courage to meet demands, make decisions in the best interest of the nation, overcome challenges, and be loyal to the nation.
- Commitment: Marines foster respect and care for the well-being of people.”
Honor, courage, and commitment are values instilled during his time in the service and still help guide him professionally, but are the same principles he carries into his role as a father and husband.
Why Hiring Veterans and Military Spouses is Essential
At Military Friendly®, our mission is to connect the military community to civilian opportunities. Another way to say that? We are the bridge that connects employers, schools, and brands to the military community. We bounced our bridge analogy off of Aaron and asked how he feels it applies to him individually.
“Sharing personal recollections as a member of the “target audience” for many organizations helps in aligning efforts that truly impact outcomes. I love witnessing the ah-ha moment when employers see the light bulb and progress is made to implement winning strategies to attract, hire, and retain mil/vet/spouse talent.” The impact of hiring military talent goes beyond filling roles—it’s about bringing in individuals who are committed to excellence and will elevate the entire organization.
Aaron’s advice to employers who may not fully understand military talent is simple: “Do your homework, ask questions, and lean on those who are willing to share their wisdom. If not, you are missing out!” You’ll find that veterans and military spouses end up being some of the biggest contributors to your teams. They know how to solve problems, lead teams, and execute under pressure, making them ideal candidates for any organization looking to recruit, retain, and advance strong, dedicated talent.
If you are interested in connecting with Aaron to learn how you can tap into the military community, just fill out the form below!
