Meet the Authors Who Trust Ballast Books

Daniel Gade was born and raised in Minot, North Dakota. He enlisted in the Army in 1992 and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom as a company commander in August 2004. He was wounded by enemy fire twice and decorated for valor; the second wounding resulted in the amputation of his entire right leg. After retiring from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2017, he accepted a political appointment as a Senior Advisor at the US Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS). In 2019, he ran unsuccessfully for United States Senate in Virginia, but garnered more votes than any Republican candidate in Virginia history. Daniel’s military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, the Combat Action Badge, Ranger Tab, Presidential Service Badge, and both Airborne and Air Assault wings. He and his family reside in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Kent Thompson grew up in Newcastle, Wyoming. When he was a junior in high school, his family moved to California, where he attended Atascadero High School before completing two years of college at Cuesta Junior College in San Luis Obispo. Most importantly, during this time, he met and married his high school sweetheart, Susan. Together, they moved back to Wyoming so Kent could finish college at the University of Wyoming, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history. What started as a summer job at an oil refinery to replenish funds so he could continue his education turned into a career in the oil industry. The original goal was to teach history and coach football and basketball, but God had other plans. During the last eight years of Kent’s career, he supervised three offshore platforms off Long Beach, California. He worked with Navy SEAL TRADET to plan SEAL training on those platforms for the last five years of his career. He is a lifelong student of the US Constitution and the Federalist Papers. Kent and Susan live in the small mountain town of Pine, Arizona. They will never actually “retire.” They have three grown children and two grandsons.

Rosa Miller resides in Boone, Iowa, with her loving husband and three children—with a fourth on the way! A doting mother with a background in education, Rosa homeschools her kids. She loves the outdoors, especially mountains, streams, rivers, etc., and enjoys meeting life’s challenges and discovering new beauty with her kind, adventurous best friend and husband. God is the key to her family’s strength and endurance.

Frank Demith is a retired Army veteran who served on active duty for twenty-eight years. He graduated from the United States Military Academy and later worked on the Department of the Army team that developed the Army interpreter/translator program. He is a graduate of the Deliberate Discomfort Challenge and is a member of the Endless 6. In his free time, he enjoys reading history and fiction novels, visiting battlefields, and playing the saxophone. He currently lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia, with his wife and their four dogs.

Binod (Ben) Thapa is an avid golfer and world traveler who has worked for over twenty-five years in systems engineering. A native of Kathmandu, Nepal, he has always enjoyed traveling, an interest that continued after he moved to the US in 1989. A few years later, Ben discovered a love of golf when he played for the first time while on a family vacation. These two passions led Ben to pursue a lifelong quest to visit the world while playing the sport. Since then, he has golfed in the capital of every US state, in twenty-five countries out of forty he’s visited, and on all seven continents. Today, Ben lives with his wife, Nora, in the Washington, D.C., area where he continues to play golf and spend time with his three adult children.

Axel T. Harper is the proud father of three amazing children and is married to the greatest woman who has ever lived on the face of this planet. He has worked in and around the interface of business and technology for most of his life.

Barbara Powers Wyatt was born in Salem, New Jersey, where she attended Salem public schools. In 1953, she graduated from Clarke Conservatory of Music and went on to teach music in her hometown. Two years later, in pursuit of something bigger than small town life, she began a new profession as an airline stewardess with Trans World Airlines (TWA). After just three months, she met her future husband, Captain Frederic Wyatt, USNR, and together they built a family that included three sons. They would also work together in executive search, in politics, and with the military, all while teaching throughout Los Angeles County. In 1980, she served as part of the Reagan Administration for both of his terms. In one of their many endeavors together, she and her husband created and compiled the book We Came Home: POWs of Vietnam. To honor the POWs, she has updated their stories for the 50th anniversary of their homecoming. She currently lives in Las Vegas where she spends time writing and enjoying time with her family.

Ben Snyder is fourteen years old and working toward earning an associate degree at Lake-Sumter State College. In addition to being a foster care/adoption advocate, he likes to play chess, hunt, and read in his free time. Ben plans to pursue additional degrees in business and travel more in the future.

In addition to being the founder and CEO of Ballast Books and Blue Balloon Books, Andy Symonds is an award-winning journalist and author of 8 books, including Reality Check with Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and The Man in the Arena with Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, both published at Ballast Books. Andy started Ballast Books, a leading hybrid book publisher, in 2019 after publishing two books of his own independently. In that time, Ballast has grown quickly into one of the most well-respected independent publishers in the industry. Ballast works with innovators, thought-leaders, and top performers looking to bring their stories to market.

Brad Ahlquist, a Texas resident, finds solace and self-expression in his recreational writing, often delving into short stories and inspirational pieces. Alongside his supportive wife, Brad lives an active lifestyle filled with travel, golfing adventures, and cherished moments with his friends and family.

Amy Salo has always believed that knowledge isn’t just power—it’s empowerment. With a distinguished career in financial services, Amy has uncovered a glaring truth: many individuals aren’t receiving the comprehensive advice they deserve. As a dedicated advocate for consumer-centric advice, diversity, and collaborative improvement, Amy is on a mission to transform the financial services industry and empower both advisors and clients to achieve greater success. By shifting the perception of the profession, she aims to enhance economic mobility within our communities. As a leader of Forest Hills Financial Group (FHFG), Amy fosters a culture that attracts and retains top-tier advisors, ensuring the next generation prospers. With thirty thousand clients and nearly one hundred career agents, FHFG emphasizes customer-driven, innovative planning techniques. Amy also serves on the Finseca board, chairing multiple committees and advocating for diversity and proper financial education. She frequently speaks on topics such as transitioning to consumer-driven sales, opportunities for women in financial services, boosting advisor retention rates, and navigating the financial services business in the age of influencers.

Andrea Gallagher rose to national prominence after her husband, Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, was imprisoned for war crimes he did not commit. She fought tirelessly behind the scenes to have her husband released from pretrial confinement in order to participate in his defense, successfully lobbying President Trump to move him out of the brig. After Chief Gallagher was found not guilty of murder by a jury of his peers, President Trump reinstated his rank and ensured a vindictive Navy admiral did not remove his Trident, the insignia identifying him as a Navy SEAL. Today, Andrea is the president of The Pipe Hitter Foundation, a non-profit founded by her and Eddie to provide support for other service members and law enforcement officers stuck in a corrupt legal system

Allyson McCollum lives in a secluded holler in the Georgia mountains, where she writes to procrastinate on her chores and does chores to procrastinate on writing. If this method doesn’t work, she reads equally twisted writers like Holly Black and Cassandra Clare or watches shows written by Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro to get ideas for painful plot points and cliffhangers. If all else fails and she can’t figure out how to properly torment her readers, she asks her poor husband what would work best. Their cat approves of such torture methods, and their two dogs are just happy to be there.

Doug Fifer is a retired Alaskan police officer who specialized in crime scene analysis, deviant sexual crimes, hostage negotiations, and various special assignments throughout his twenty-five-year career. Born in the small town of Homer, Alaska, Doug's family originates from southeast Alaska, mainly around the Ketchikan area. He is Tlingit Indian and heavily connected to his Alaska Native culture and heritage. He and his wife, Kim, raised their children in the Anchorage area, where he resides today.

A native Californian, Eric Buer spent his formative years in rural New England before graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in economics. After accepting a commission from the Marine Corps, he was trained to fly attack helicopters. His deployments took him to the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He later served on the staff of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs as a professor of national security strategy and policy at the National War College and as an air group commanding officer. Eric is currently a senior executive for an aviation and training company. He is also a consultant and public speaker in the areas of military and commercial aviation and global conflict.

John Patrick Lyons was born in Houston, Texas. At the age of 15, John went to work at the Port of Houston and later in the oilfields of South Texas. John enlisted in the United States Navy in 1985 to become one of the first Navy Special Operations Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (Navy SWCC). Chief Lyons would go on to become a Navy and Special Operations accredited weapons, ordnance, LASER, and firing ranges expert and instructor. Retiring from the Navy in 2009, John continued working for Naval Special Warfare Command instructing, training, and qualifying West Coast Navy SEALs, SWCCs and other Special Operations personnel in weapons proficiency and gun and LASER firing range safety. In 2014, John would learn that he had been massively poisoned with lead. Fired for whistleblowing, he then went to work to find out why. Suffering from congestive heart failure and other degenerative poisoning symptoms, author John P. Lyons continues his whistleblowing in an effort to help his fellow veterans, their families, and the nation overcome the disdain shown by the Navy, government, and its leadership for those they poison. An avid outdoorsman and conservationist, Retired Navy Chief John P. Lyons, his wife of thirty years, autistic son, and loyal dogs, Shelby and Diesel, currently reside in his home state of Texas.

David Sears served twenty years of active military duty as a US Navy SEAL officer, participating in a number of conflicts and contingency operations in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is a graduate of Boston University and the Naval Postgraduate School, earning a Master of Science in defense analysis. He is the co-founder and a managing partner at Xundis Global, LLC. A keynote speaker, senior consultant, and advisor to multiple clients in the defense and technology space, David is a regular guest commentator on Fox News, Fox Business, and CBSN.

D.E. Novak lives blissfully in Eugene, Oregon, with her beloved cats and betta fishes. She is a graduate of West Virginia University as well as the school of life. An avid figure skater, she also skis, hikes, and loves to garden. You are going to want her on your team in trivia games, especially when the categories are music or movies. And she’s been known to rock the karaoke mic with gusto! Lastly, if you ask her nicely, she’ll even read your tarot cards.

Drew Dusebout has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. He ran a paper route as a young boy, started his own business selling cowboy hats as a teenager, was instrumental in building out a new niche in the financial services industry after graduating college, and co-founded a movement to rise up young people to help solve the world’s water crisis as a parent. He has taken his passion to think out of the box and his love of adventure to promote change, serve, and lead in a variety of ways. Drew lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, Vicki. He has three children and two grandchildren.

Carol GoldfainDavis has been a counselor for twenty-two years, focusing on grief for the past decade. Having experienced significant loss, Carol knows the devastation it can bring. She and her husband live in the mountains of Colorado where they enjoy exploring the outdoors with their children and grandchildren.

Jennifer Smith has always been passionate about emerging infectious diseases like prions, Ebola virus, and 1918 influenza. She earned her doctoral degree in microbiology and molecular cell sciences while working with influenza viruses at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, under the direction of world-renowned virologist Dr. Robert Webster. She has spent much of her career studying both animal and human viruses and has dedicated herself to having a positive impact on her community. As an epidemiological specialist at the Hawai’i Department of Health (HDOH), Jennifer had a front-row seat for the public health response to COVID-19. During the pandemic, she worked on the front line of response efforts, monitoring travelers, investigating cases, and executing contact tracing. That all ended when she came forward to expose corruption by HDOH leadership, was put on administrative leave, and ultimately was discharged from her position without cause. Jennifer lives in Hawai’i with her husband and their two shih tzus, Allie and Fozzie. She loves to read and hang out on the beach, enjoys sewing tote bags and purses, and will continue to pursue truth via honest, good science.

Michelle Snyder owns a private counseling practice in Winter Garden, Florida, where she provides mental health support to a variety of populations. She has been a licensed clinical social worker since 2009 after earning a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2006. Michelle lives with her husband of sixteen years and has a mix of biological, adoptive, and occasionally foster children they have the privilege of doing life with. You can find Michelle reading and traveling during her free time.

Matthew Q. Lesser started his career leading his family’s struggling business. It quickly failed, and Matt experienced a suicidal depression. Out of the ashes, a new business emerged and grew from three people to nearly two hundred while experiencing a twenty-fold increase in revenue. Matt served in C-suite roles in private equity, banking, and commercial uniforms before founding Uniquely Normal, LLC, to help leaders build flourishing organizations. Matt is the best-selling author of unSatisfied: When Less Is More and has spoken to and facilitated rooms packed with leaders around the world for now more than twenty years. Matt lives in northeast Indiana with his family.

Kevin Freeman grew up in Maryland, where he currently serves as a pastor of Redland Baptist Church in Rockville. With over twenty years of vocational ministry experience, Kevin has a passion for vibrancy and growth in the church. He and his wife, Karen, have six kids-four of whom came into their lives through their involvement in foster care and were later adopted. They also have two grandchildren. Kevin received his undergraduate degree from Lancaster Bible College and his MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In his free time, he enjoys tending his vegetable garden, cooking, and spending time with his family. Kevin would like to hear from you! You may contact him at scattertheseed.com and undilutedfaith.com.

LT Kegan “SMURF” Gill, USN (Ret.), is a former US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot, best known for enduring the fastest survived ejection in naval aviation history. In 2014, at a staggering 695 miles per hour, he ejected into the sound barrier, suffering devastating injuries. The violent forces left him with multiple traumas, leading to over a dozen surgeries and an extensive rehabilitation process.

Despite these extraordinary challenges, Kegan’s indomitable spirit brought him back to flying. But the road to recovery went far beyond the physical—he faced PTSD, cognitive impairments from a traumatic brain injury, and the frustrating complexities of navigating a broken healthcare system. It was through holistic therapies, including groundbreaking psychedelic-assisted treatments, that Kegan experienced profound healing and renewal.

Now, Kegan is dedicated to sharing his hard-earned lessons on resilience and transformation. As a motivational speaker, author, athlete, husband, and father, he draws on his journey to inspire others facing their own battles. His story serves as living proof that no matter how insurmountable the obstacle may seem, it is possible to rise, overcome, and thrive.

Mary Zahau-Loehner graduated as a board-certified family nurse practitioner in 2005 and has been working in dermatology since 2008. She earned her master’s in nursing from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where she was later a professor in the clinical nursing program. Mary is also a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Society of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners. Outside of work, she is a professional bodybuilder and is passionate about weightlifting and going to the gym. She volunteers at her church and enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and spending time with her family and Alaskan Malamute, but much of her free time since 2011 has been spent fighting for justice for her sister Rebecca. She currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, Doug, and their two children.

Mark Burrell is originally from Pennsylvania and grew up in the Episcopal Church where he accepted Christ as a teenager. He attended Penn State University and met his wife, Charlene, in 1980. They married in 1983 and moved to northeast Pennsylvania a year later where Mark began his career in the private sector. While living there they helped start several independent Bible churches that continue today.  In 1987 Mark developed a mentoring relationship with an experienced pastor and spent several years studying Systematic Theology. He began a teaching ministry in the early 1990 covering a variety of topics, and in the late 90 became interested in Biblical aspects of the American founding.

Kevin Cramer is the proud father of a maniac two-year-old girl who will only go down the tallest slides at the park and a nine-year-old boy who’s trying to bankrupt him by being good at ice hockey. He’s most likely the only construction worker in Pittsburgh with two master’s degrees and five published books—three of which are about ultimate frisbee, an obscure sport that has put him in the ER in every American time zone. His wife is a roller-derby-playing tattoo artist, thus rendering anything he does super boring in comparison.

Lauren Green has always been a voracious reader and inspired writer. She wrote her first (not yet published) book titled The Pepperoni Spumoni Junk Food Pizza when she was in the second grade. In 2006, she was published in Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans and The Gates: Opening the World of Words when her poem was selected as a standout piece among the sixth-grade students across Missouri. Since then, Lauren’s love of literature has only grown, and her desire to pursue a career in that field led her to study English writing and mass communication at Rockhurst University where she graduated number one in her class with dual degrees. During her time at Rockhurst, she was published in the 2014 and 2016 editions of Infectus, and she jumpstarted her career by working for various publishers and content creators starting from the time she was still a student.  

After gathering the experience and expertise necessary to strike out on her own, Lauren started her own editing business, WriteWell, where she still serves as the founder and executive editor. With over a decade of professional experience, she has edited over twenty-five trade manuscripts and more than fifty children’s books in her role as director of author services with leading publisher Ballast Books. As a result of growing up in a household rife with mental illness, as described in Bell Jar Butterfly, Lauren has a deep passion for promoting mental health. She has devoted much of her time to sharing resources related to mental health in her community and teaching classes that help eradicate the stigma and foster empathy and understanding for those living with mental illness.

Lauren lives in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband, Jordan; daughters, Annesley and Charlotte; and Australian shepherd, Harper Lee.

Roger Smith is the past CEO of American Income Life Insurance Co, National Income Life Insurance Co, and Liberty National Life Insurance Co. He is also the recipient of the Yitzhak Rabin Legacy Award, Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, Healthcare For All Champion Award, Sol Stein Award, as well as numerous other awards and publications. He is the father of five adult children (Nicole, Conrad, Emily, Adam, Amiah), proud grandfather of Maggie Mae, and currently resides in Florida with his wife Demi and his two dogs Penelope and Chrome.

R. H. Emmers has had a number of careers in his life: reporter and editor, crisis communications consultant, private detective, and insurance fraud investigator. Ten years ago, he decided to devote himself to writing. At first, it was short stories, a number of which were published in literary magazines. Emmers also published a collection called Lynerkim’s Dance and Other Stories, which is available on Amazon. The Secret History is his first novel, and it grew out of his fascination with Mexico, particularly Baja, and an eagerness to look beneath the surface of the intelligence apparatus (the Dark State, if you will).

Sam Carpenter has owned/operated Cetratel for over four decades. With a background in engineering, construction management, publishing, and journalism, he and his wife, Diana, have recently relocated from Bend, Oregon, to rural Kentucky. Sam’s outside interested include mountaineering, rucking with their hounds, skiing, writing, property development, and travel. Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less was first published in 2008. His second book, The Systems Mindset: Managing the Machinery of Your Life was published in 2016 with the second edition to be released in summer of 2025. Sam is the founder and director of the nonprofit Kashmir Family Aid.

PJ Dudek has lived in Northeast Ohio his whole life. Despite being a major fan of the state, he is also inspired by the beauty of the larger world beyond the Ohio River and Great Lakes. Writing provides him a way to share his appreciation for these settings within his favorite literary genres–sci-fi and fantasy. He currently lives with his wife and three children surrounded by woods and farmland not far from where he grew up.

Or Shahar is a seasoned technology leader with a passion for inspiring and driving teams to success. With years of experience managing business teams in the tech industry, Or has developed a unique approach to identifying and managing motivations in the workplace. His book, Inspire the Drive, offers young leaders a practical guide to finding the right set of motivations for their team members, fostering a sense of impact, creativity, and belonging. Or's insights are based on his own experience and theory of motivation, and his passion for the topic shines through in his writing. When he's not leading teams or writing, Or enjoys spending valuable time with his family and friends and coming up with creative ideas and initiatives.

Ron Gross is dedicated to the convergence of technology, self-improvement, and community-driven innovation. With an MSc in computer science from the Technion, Ron has extensive experience in both tech and leadership, primarily in small startups, but also in corporate life at Google.  An early adopter of Bitcoin and a cryptocurrency advocate since 2011, Ron has long been passionate about decentralization, transparency, and open-source technologies. He co-founded the Israeli Bitcoin Association and served as the executive director of the Mastercoin Foundation, leading the first ever ICO.

Gunnery Sergeant Tom Oliva entered the United States Marine Corps in 1986 and retired in 2006. Throughout his twenty-year military career, he worked in aviation life support systems on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Tom participated in three combat tours in the Middle East between 2002 and 2005.  Tom grew up on and now lives on Long Island, New York. He works in the aerospace industry and spends his spare time writing. A Day Like Any Other is his first novel.

Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1985. His Navy career centered around aviation training and operations, and he served extensively as an instructor pilot in numerous operational and training tours around the world. During his career, Cozad commanded at various levels within naval aviation and joint multi-service in five critical assignments. Ashore, he served in a variety of diverse leadership positions within the Navy and Department of Defense, including as the 22nd Senior Director in the White House Situation Room, Commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, and Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command. Following a service-connected spinal cord injury in 2018, Cozad recovered and returned to full service, completing his final thirty months of active duty as the Navy’s only wheelchair-bound flag officer. During that time, he became an advocate for disability awareness and competed in the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games. Prior to his retirement, Cozad was recognized as one of the Department of Defense’s top employees with disabilities in 2020. After a thirty-five-year career in the Navy, Cozad joined the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation as the President and Chief Executive Officer in October 2020. Today, he resides in Pensacola, Florida—affectionately known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation.” Since his injury, Cozad has dedicated countless hours mentoring other spinal cord injury victims through their individual recoveries.

Schuyler Williamson is a leadership expert and keynote speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, and military veteran who has consistently achieved at the highest level in every facet of his career. As the author of his debut book, The Steady Leader: Leadership Models That Bring Clarity to Chaos, Schuyler provides a blueprint for leading through turbulent times, offering actionable strategies for thriving amid uncertainty.  With an MBA from The McCombs School of Business, where he ranked #3 in his graduating class, Schuyler blends academic rigor with real-world experience as he inspires, motivates, and coaches leaders to navigate chaos with steadiness and confidence. As a globally recognized keynote speaker, he has addressed major organizations like Oracle, Dell, Keller Williams Realty, Care.com, Logitech, Smith + Nephew, and Financial Executives International, showcasing his ability to equip others to lead through disruption and chaos while achieving excellence.  Schuyler’s expertise in leadership through chaos is rooted in his military service as a combat officer with the 1st Cavalry and 82nd Airborne Divisions, where he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, he led in some of the most demanding environments imaginable. He also earned the honor grad distinction in the mountain phase of Ranger School, exemplifying his ability to excel in extreme conditions. His military foundation was solidified at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in the top 10 percent of his class.  Schuyler is no stranger to peak achievement in the business world. After being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2005 and completing his active-duty US Army career, he transitioned to a career in real estate, where he now ranks in the top 1 percent of agents nationwide, with hundreds of millions in sales. He has been honored with the prestigious Platinum Top 50 and Austin Under 40 awards in Austin real estate and owns over fifty- five investment properties. His entrepreneurial ventures include founding Williamson Group Real Estate, Mission Home Builders in Austin, and the Laundry Luv franchise.  As the host of the Money Mission YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of video views, Schuyler regularly shares insights on leadership, wealth building, and resilience. He also spearheads the Corporate Battlefield Mastermind in Austin, Texas, an elite group focused on leadership and wealth creation for high achievers facing complex challenges. Committed to giving back, Schuyler’s Corporate Battlefield Mastermind donates generously to teachers in need, and he volunteers with SCORE and Marbridge in addition to serving as a foster parent.  Schuyler’s leadership journey is a testament to thriving under pressure, achieving at the highest levels, and guiding others to do the same. Whether leading teams in combat, building wealth through real estate, or inspiring business leaders at global conferences, Schuyler’s message is clear: true leadership shines brightest in times of chaos.

Sven Lundin is a retired businessman and avid outdoorsman. Born and educated in Sweden, he moved to the United States to pursue his career. His background in engineering brings a unique perspective to his writing. He enjoys traveling the world and pursuing outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, sailing, and golfing. Lundin currently resides between Fort Myers, Florida, and Evergreen, Colorado.

The Cast Iron Crew is MSOFC’s Family Dinner Team, composed of six spouses drawn from across Army, Navy, and Air Force special operations units: KaLea Lehman, Lynnsy Snook, Wendy Jo Peterson, Andrea Geraldi, Christine Trax,and Heather Campbell.

Yousuf Sediq is a former Afghan Special Forces operator who waged war for fourteen years against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. He fought in his homeland alongside U.S. Army Rangers, Green Berets, Delta Force, Navy SEALs, MARSOC, British SAS, British SBS, Australian Special Forces, Canadian Special Forces, the DEA, and the FBI. Fluent in Dari, Pashto, Farsi, and English, Yousuf Sediq is an expert on Afghanistan. Having lived through the entire conflict and fought at the tip of the spear in both the light and the shadows, his knowledge of the war is rivaled by few. After the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in 2021, Yousef and his family were evacuated to the United States, where they live today.

Varpas de Sa Pereira has over fifteen years of military service as well as six years of psychology education and practice. He is currently a staff psychologist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where he provides mental health care to veterans and their families. He holds a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School and a BA in Mathematics from Boston University. As a former Marine Corps and special operations officer, Varpas has a unique understanding of the warrior culture and the challenges faced by veterans returning from combat zones. He has developed and refined Warrior Withdrawal Syndrome, a framework for identifying and treating the psychological effects of transitioning from a high-stress to a low-stress environment. He established and facilitated a psychoeducation group for veterans with the syndrome and provided consultation and training to other VA staff on how to better serve this population. Varpas is passionate about helping veterans heal and thrive in their civilian lives.  Originally from New England, Varpas currently lives in the greater Los Angeles area with his four children. He still works with special operations forces on assessment and selection.

Mike S. Adams graduated from Mississippi State University in 1993 with a PhD in criminology and became a professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). He also wrote columns for Townhall and The Daily Wire and spoke frequently on First Amendment and pro-life issues. Although Mike twice won the Faculty Member of the Year Award, in 2006, he was denied a promotion to full professor and filed suit in federal court, alleging that UNCW had retaliated against him. The lawsuit set up a legal challenge concerning whether Garcetti v. Ceballos (2006) applied to college professors. In 2014, Mike finally won before a jury in federal court in North Carolina. He passed away in 2020.

Rodney Magallan, a respected subject matter expert in protective operations and personal security operations, has vast experience in semi-permissive and non-permissive environments. Over the past thirty-five years, he has served as a Navy SEAL, with the US Marshals Service, with the CIA, and as an executive protection manager in the corporate and private sector.

After completing boot camp and “A” school, he volunteered for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training and graduated with class 143 in July of 1987. His first SEAL command was SEAL Team 4, and he deployed three times before detaching in December 1991. He then attended an Army special forces medical sergeants course and graduated in 1993. CDR Magallan was subsequently selected to serve with SEAL Team 6 with whom he deployed six times. In 1997, he received orders to Special Boat Unit 20 as the senior medical department representative. He was quickly identified to help lead the development and implementation of the maritime craft air delivery system as well as train the sailors who would be operating this new capability. In 2000, he pursued federal law enforcement and affiliated with the naval reserves.

CDR Magallan spent five years in civilian federal service as a deputy US marshal for the Southern District of Texas, a protective agent for the Global Response Staff with the CIA, and the lead instructor responsible for training other protective agents. After, Rodney spent four years as a civilian executive protection specialist. He also gained corporate experience with Walmart and private experience with Watermark.

In 2002, CDR Magallan received his commission as a naval special warfare officer. He was mobilized in 2007 to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa as the task unit commander. In 2009, he redesignated as a full-time support officer and was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Support Activity Team One. He deployed in 2010 with SEAL Team 3 to Joint Special Operation Task Force – Philippines as a cross-functional team officer in charge. In the subsequent years, CDR Magallan maintained his stellar record of service with SEAL Team 17 and SEAL Team 18 among others, acting as operations officer, commanding officer, or executive officer at different commands. In September of 2021, CDR Magallan retired from US naval service at the rank of commander with the status of honorable service.

CDR Magallan has been awarded the Exceptional Performance Award by the CIA, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (one gold star), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four gold stars), the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (one gold star), the Armed Forces Service Medal, three flag letters of commendation, and various other unit and personal awards.

Rodney Magallan is a level-two instructor certified under CIA University, a Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers firearms instructor (qualified as a weapons expert), and an apprentice instructor in Thai boxing and Kali under Sifu Pat Tray Trident Martial Arts. He resides in Georgetown, Texas, with his loving wife, Veronica; his daughter, Raigan; his son, Evan; and their chihuahua, Jilli Boo.

Kristin (Otterson) Cronic is an artist and United States Naval Academy (USNA) graduate. She has a BS in naval architecture and was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in 2011. She served as a naval officer until 2017, deploying twice on ships. Kristin pursued an informal art education in her free time. She has dedicated recent years to documenting the midshipman’s journey through painting under the alias “Easel on Stribling,” painting over 150 pieces about USNA. She has an MFA in visual art from Jacksonville University. She resides in Florida with her husband, Caleb, and their three children.