I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Air Force Academy. I graduated from Five Points High School in 1987. I attended Southern Union before enlisting in the United States Army in December of 1991 as an Indirect-fire Infantryman (11C). I have been station in Fort Carson, CO; Seoul, S.Korea, Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Benning GA; Fort Hood, TX; Ray Barracks and Rose Barracks Germany; Baghdad, Iraq; RC East-Afghanistan; Fort Bliss, TX; and Eglin AFB, FL. I retired from the Army as a Sergeant First Class in 2016. I am married to SFC(R) Levita Staples. We have 14 children ranging in age from 35 to 12. I have an Associate degree in Management/Administration from Excelsior College, Bachelors degree in Leadership from Trident University International, and a Masters degree in Coaching Education and Athletic Development from Xavier University.