I grew up in poverty in the Appalachian region of Ohio.

 

It was the kind of poverty that left my mother uncertain about whether we'd have enough to eat the next day. The areas in which I grew up held few opportunities for personal growth, and most felt limited to two options: becoming  a factory worker or enlisting in the military.

 

My senior year of high school, we were unexpectedly corralled into the auditorium to take a test which turned out to be the ASVAB. A few months later, the results arrived, offering us two lists - one revealing the best and the other the worst career choices for each of us. To this day, I remember the top entries on each list: the best job for me was a secret agent. The worst was a janitor.

 

When the call to seek new experience won out, I made the decision to join the US Navy where I served as a flight deck fueler on an aircraft carrier during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom for two years. After successfully surviving the hazards of the flight deck, I transitioned to the role of meteorologist and oceanographer for my final three years.
 

Upon my honorable discharge, I discovered that pursuing a civilian career in meteorology and oceanography required formal degrees, which I didn't possess. Consequently, I became an outdoor education teacher for a non-profit organization, teaching children various skills, including team building, science, survival, and history. While fulfilling, the experience lacked financial stability, prompting me to explore new opportunities.
 

I used my GI Bill funds to attend Ohio University, but my resulting financial situation at that time was so tight that I couldn't afford heat during the winter, relying on neighboring apartments and shops to prevent my pipes from freezing, and rice became a dietary staple.

 

A few years and job changes later, I was invited to move across the country after a close friend decided to relocate. I began planning my next adventure, after selling my belongings, leaving me with only three boxes and a television. 

Life, however, had different plans. A few weeks before I was supposed to move, my girlfriend and I learned that she was pregnant.
 

My priority became my family's well-being, so I decided against moving. Instead, I accepted the first stable job offer that came my way, which happened to be as a janitor in a factory.

 

Over the following four years, I worked hard, saved diligently, studied, and attended a tech school to make the leap to a software engineering career.
 

Today, I remain a software engineer, but my stint in the US Navy as a meteorologist provided me with profound insight into climate and its workings, and transformed me into a staunch advocate for reducing our nation's dependence on oil. My experiences with poverty granted invaluable experience in budgeting and making every dollar count, and my roots in rural Ohio instilled in me the belief that when good people come together, there's no challenge we can't overcome.

 

All of these experiences lead to this moment and mindset in which I knew I had to act to bring real change and representation for my community in Ohio’s 12th Congressional district and working class families across the country.

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This Congress isn't up to the task.