What makes us different?

When I was sixteen years old I watched the HBO series Band of Brothers for the first time. Coming from a military family I had the desire to be in the army since I was tiny and watching Band of Brothers solidified that for me. When I started my military journey in 2009 we would watch clips from the series and discuss tactics and leadership examples. I loved the series but I wanted to know and understand WWII more. I started reading WWII history. I started with Band of Brothers by Steven Ambrose, then Beyond Band of Brothers by Major Richard Winters. These two books opened the flood gates. Military history as a whole is my passion. But WWII and the landings at Normandy is my obsession. I think about it every day. I am always reading something about WWII, I make my wife watch endless documentaries on WWII, and I force my kids to watch movies like Patton; even when they tell their grandparents how boring it is.

On June 2, 2024 I carried a 30 pound ruck sack and walked 31 miles (50 kilometers) across various important historic locations in Normandy. That was not the first time I had been to Normandy, but it was the most impactful. Spending that much time walking the terrain, thinking about the historic impact everywhere we went, and walking through fields and villages that look the same as they did 80 years ago changed me.

My goal is to help others be changed by what happened across this small stretch of French coastline. Simultaneously honoring the sacrifice of all those who fought there. We can never forget what happened on June 6, 1944. Against all odds, good stood against evil and prevailed. It’s your turn to experience Normandy in a way that will change your life.