Service: Army
From: Killeen
Submitted by: Reggie J.
After serving 20 years in the United States Army — including five years in combat zones with three deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan — I retired as a Warrant Officer with a career rooted in logistics and leadership. Throughout my time in service, one thing always stood out to me: the opportunity to take care of Soldiers. That sense of responsibility and purpose stayed with me long after I took off the uniform.
After retiring, I stepped away from work for a few years and focused on my education, earning both my bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. I knew I still wanted to help people, and social work gave me a way to continue serving — just in a different capacity.
During that time, I also explored entrepreneurship. I launched a clothing line called OFiveTwenty1 and helped my wife build her online jewelry business, Fancy5Fashion. While we had some wins along the way, the reality was that the time, energy, and money we invested didn't lead to the kind of growth we were hoping for. In the end, we broke even and eventually made the decision to close both businesses.
Looking back, one of the biggest challenges was trying to do everything on our own. We didn't have a strong network of fellow veterans in business, and that's something that could have made a real difference. A platform connecting veterans who support and uplift each other would have been a game changer for us.
Now, with everything evolving from technology to AI to new ways of building connections. I'm seriously considering stepping back into the business world. This time, with more experience, better tools, and a stronger network behind me.
I appreciate the encouragement to take another shot. Sometimes all it takes is the right support system to remind you that it's not over, I'm just getting started!!