I wanted to introduce myself to all of the SOFREP readers out there. I am excited to join SOFREP as the new managing editor! My goals are to continue bringing you articles and news that are relevant and on target. Additionally, I hope to bring you some different perspectives and analysis on current events. You will see articles from me daily. Finally, I will also be filling in for Jack when he is overseas or on assignment.

Now a little bit about my background…

I am a former Army veteran, having served 11 years as a military intelligence officer and (prior to OCS) as a combat medic in the Texas Army National Guard. For the majority of my career I was on active duty with the guard. I have been on two deployments. My first deployment was 18 months spent in Kosovo in 2005. During this deployment, most of my experience was involved in intelligence-asset deployment operations and intelligence operational planning as a G2 battle captain.

In 2008, I completed my degree in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Texas in Austin. This degree attracted me the most because I felt the need, as an intelligence officer, to give my commanders the most accurate information possible to help them make the best possible decisions. I enjoy studying the Middle East because of its rich history and the fact that it is the birthplace of three of the biggest world religions. Most of my studies were concentrated on Islam and Arab culture. I only studied Arabic for two years, so I am in the elementary level for reading, writing, and speaking, all of which comes with a slight Texan accent.

During my year-long deployment in 2008 to Iraq, I was assigned to Gen. Odierno’s MNF-I (Multi-National Force—Iraq) Red Team at Camp Victory. This was not a typical red versus blue war game; my team provided the commanding general and his staff with cultural and alternative perspectives during strategic planning. Being on a red team can sometimes be difficult because you have to tactfully tell your boss that their baby (the plan they’ve been working on) is ugly. Also, I was involved in some other intelligence work during my time in Iraq. In between my deployments, the majority of my experience continued to be in the operational and strategic-planning realm.

In 2011, I left the Army to start a family and a small consulting firm. Leaving my career in the military was difficult but I didn’t want to see my kids grow up on Skype or FaceTime without me. I created my consulting firm because I saw a need for medical training within the law-enforcement community as the number of active shooter events increased nationwide. Our goal continues to be to increase the survivability of law enforcement and responsible gun owners through lessons learned from tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Currently, I am enjoying life on my small farm in central Texas with my husband and three young sons.

I am not the typical SOFREP writer that was a death-dealing badass, but I hope I can bring you some great stuff. I’d love to get your feedback on hot topics and current events. I will chime in at the comments section when I can. If you have a question or want me to cover a topic, just ask. You can follow me on Twitter. If you need to get ahold of me, please email me at desiree@cms.sofrep.com.