Although Desmond had a thriving military career, he was ready to explore new heights and pursue his love of the arts, fitness, and healthy/ wellness development. The road to success didn’t come easy. He took the skills he learned in the Navy and landed a position with the prestigious Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He worked an Operating Room Technician in the mornings and auditioned for dance jobs in the afternoon. His 12-year medical career included assisting with the open-heart surgery, liver and kidney transplants and all other surgical practices. Desmond simultaneously continued his pursuit of a viable dance role. His talent didn’t go unnoticed. LA Models began to represent him and eventually a major breakthrough presented itself. “Hip Hop Body Shop,” a fitness and dance show on ESPN II that Desmond co-created and co-hosted received 5 stars from Fitness Magazine.

He began his USMC career as an artillery officer. His service included leading crisis response for the Marine Corps at the Pentagon prior to and on 9/11, Director of Operations for Multi-National Forces (West) in Iraq and development of US Army and Marine Corps Counter Insurgency policy.

He was diagnosed with PTSD in 2007. Medical professionals put him on Prozac and cocktails of multiple similar drugs. After too many personal relationship issues and too many jobs he discovered CBD and then medical cannabis. Today he is PROZAC free. He now owns Greater Than U Farm (>U Farm). His focus is on helping others see how CBD and medical cannabis and a healthy lifestyle can make lives better for his fellow veterans, first responders, law enforcement personnel and all Americans.

One morning, he punched out at 7 AM and never went back. Shane went on to join the military the next year and became a firefighter EMT until 2001. After he was Honorably discharged from the Air Force he worked as a civilian firefighter for the Navy for a year before working in Afghanistan.

In 2006 Shane first started experiencing symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis but was able to combat it for 10 years with diet changes and medication.

After leaving Afghanistan, Shane ran his own home remodeling business from then worked as a contract firefighter in Kuwait which was by far his favorite job. The men and women he worked with were both great workers and friends.

Shane met his wife in the summer of 2010 and in March 2011 took a job as a fire inspector in Ohio. In 2014 he applied for a job as a firefighter near his wife’s home town in Florida.

Unfortunately, in 2016 the pain and swelling from his RA got so bad that he was forced to medically retire.

Growing up Shane struggled with dyslexia but he still enjoys reading and writing books is a challenging but fun experience.

One morning, he punched out at 7 AM and never went back. Shane went on to join the military the next year and became a firefighter EMT until 2001. After he was Honorably discharged from the Air Force he worked as a civilian firefighter for the Navy for a year before working in Afghanistan.

In 2006 Shane first started experiencing symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis but was able to combat it for 10 years with diet changes and medication.

After leaving Afghanistan, Shane ran his own home remodeling business from then worked as a contract firefighter in Kuwait which was by far his favorite job. The men and women he worked with were both great workers and friends.

Shane met his wife in the summer of 2010 and in March 2011 took a job as a fire inspector in Ohio. In 2014 he applied for a job as a firefighter near his wife’s home town in Florida.

Unfortunately, in 2016 the pain and swelling from his RA got so bad that he was forced to medically retire.

Growing up Shane struggled with dyslexia but he still enjoys reading and writing books is a challenging but fun experience.

Share a story: SrA Littrell and his willingness to volunteer to stay longer in Kuwait. That is when I knew you were always going to be successful in life because you were willing to sacrifice for your fellow airmen.

Great assignment – Each one afforded me the chance to work with some amazing people across all of the services.

The greatest lesson learned was the importance of service to others (servant leadership). If you genuinely care for your fellow soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coastie, then you will gain the trust and respect of others and your unit will benefit from everyone’s success. When you are willing to sacrifice for others, then we will know that you are attempting to make the best decision for your organization. In the end, you will walk away from your military service with very few regrets.

Having served in two wars, over 8 years of service in the Corps, Michael was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. Now he is an Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker,

Business Development Professional.

In March of 2016 he presented at TEDxRaleigh, “What’s Your IED: How to Add Value During Life's Explosive Situations”, combining military and personal experiences in an effort to bridge the lives of veterans and civilians. (view @ MichaelJPenney.com) This one talk has cultivated many wonderful relationships between veterans and business leaders.

In April of 2017, Michael released the “5 Paragraph Business Plan” - taking the military operations order format and applying it to business. 5ParagraphBusinessPlan.com

He currently works as an advisor to business leaders around the globe, calling upon his military experience to assess, train, advise, and assist businesses in the implementation of the 5 Paragraph Business Plan. Empowering leaders with an action oriented business management tool focused on business creation, growth, and long term sustainability.

Michael is a proud father of four, married, and resides near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Duty Stations: Spangdahlem AB, Germany, Robins AFB, GA, Deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom 2002.

Benefits of Serving:

Work Related: Gain experience, learn a trade (instead of going to college), increase your overall long-term marketability/employment, provide a stable platform for your career development (Core Values: Integrity, Service, Excellence), Educational/Training opportunities (inside and out of the service), challenge your skills/abilities (troubleshoot, research, problem-solve), increase your communication and team-work skills, become a complete professional, INVEST IN YOURSELF.

Individually Related: learn more about yourself (resiliency, self-awareness, overcome challenges, team-work) sense of belonging to something bigger (ie. Serving your country and community) develops some form of self-pride because of the hard-work and energy spent, travelling opportunities (both professional and personal related), develop new friendships and sense of camaraderie with people from all over the world, keep the family tradition going (3rd Generation Air Force enlisted), further my educational background, military and VA benefits, most importantly the friendships we develop through the whole experience.

* Military is a lot like college, except you’re getting paid to learn and work and not going into debt!

Troy’s First duty station was Camp Casey, Korea. E Co 2/9 Infantry. Second To None! While serving there, Troy suffered an injury where he Herniated his L-4, L-5 disk completing the Manchu Mile. That is a 28 mile ruck march with a 60 pack. It is conducted every year in remembrance of an 85-mile forced march undertaken by soldiers from the 9th Infantry Regiment during the Chinese "Boxer Rebellion" in 1900. This Ruck March represented something powerful and it was a pretty extreme challenge for Troy to be a part of.

Troy left S. Korea in June of 2007. He then Took that 30 days of PCS leave and went to Ft. Riley, Kansas. Troy Deployed on back to back tours in Iraq with the Big Red One where he was part of a unit being stood up. At that time, we were the Old Ironsides. Troy made it through some miserable times with some good people from that unit where he pushed through a lot of physical pain to do those deployments.

Troy is now a 10 year Medically Retired SGT, part-time gunsmith with three crazy boys, a lovely wife, a rescued dog, and an evil cat, Lilith. She protects the house because the dog is too busy sleeping. Fortunately, the folks Troy work with and for, now, they are good people and understand his situation. Troy’s workload and man hours are completely up to him. Troy also tries to volunteer to help my fellow Veterans when he can. Throughout the last 10 years Troy has had four back surgeries to include a double spinal cord stimulator. Troy has had One surgery a year over the last 7-8 years, which come at a substantial price to his mind and body. Troy tries to maintain a positive outlook because he knows “it could always be worse”.

Shari worked as a volunteer for veterans' charities in Jacksonville, Florida and watched the amazing work they do to empower our returning military veterans. She saw firsthand the number of warriors returning home with an invisible disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disability, which inspired her and her family to look for ways to aid these deserving heroes.