By the C3 AI Editorial Team
On this Veterans Day, we honor the service members who once wore the uniform — and who today continue to serve the nation through innovation and technology. Across C3 AI, veterans from every branch of the U.S. military bring the same sense of duty, accountability, and teamwork that defined their time in service to their work building and deploying AI solutions that strengthen national defense and readiness.
These are their stories.
Jim Huff, Major, Air Force Reserves
I’ve always wanted to live a life where I can make a positive difference in the world, one that goes far beyond what I could ever accomplish alone. My dad was in the Army, so I was familiar with military life. The Air Force aligned with my values in a way that felt perfect for the life I wanted to build. I wanted to test my full potential, and the Air Force was an attempt at that. I met people who were exceptional, both intellectually and in their skillsets, who had gone through hardships, and who carried themselves with poise and dignity. That environment, combined with the mission-driven purpose, shaped who I am and how I approach challenges.
The defining moment of my career came during a hostage rescue mission in Africa, where I served as the director of operations. I coordinated a 46-member team and managed ten aircraft worth $50 million each, refueling Special Operations aircraft and overseeing the mission in real time. It was a moment when the entire team gave 100%, fully trained, fully engaged, and wholly committed to executing flawlessly. I wasn’t the pilot on the mission, but the success depended on my ability to equip the team, assign tasks, and rely on them to do their jobs correctly. In that moment, I lost my sense of self; I was completely absorbed in the mission. It reinforced lessons that still guide me today: knowing how to prioritize, make effective decisions, lean on your team’s strengths, and take radical accountability for everything that happens. The radical accountability became foundational for me: if my team fails, it’s because I didn’t explain clearly, didn’t equip them, or didn’t have the right people. That mindset makes you the most effective version of yourself.
After 12 years, I wasn’t ready to set aside the sense of purpose I got from the Air Force. I continue to serve as a Command-and-Control Reserve Officer at a unit that deploys during contingencies — natural disasters or wars. I do this because I enjoy the mission and the purpose. I want to be the person that the nation will call when the flag goes up. At C3 AI, I see the opportunity to continue serving in a different but equally meaningful way. Working on federal projects and solutions that support national defense allows me to provide the same kind of direct, tangible support to those I served with, while also contributing to the broader mission of improving organizations and communities. I find the same sense of flow and purpose solving complex problems with my team as I did during critical missions in the Air Force. My work lets me stay connected to the mission, my team, and the people we serve. For me, once a service member, you always carry that mission forward. My goal is to keep giving back in ways that matter, helping others accomplish theirs, and making a difference wherever I can.
Jack Roelofs, Former Captain, U.S. Army
My path to service began pragmatically but evolved into something much deeper. Coming from a multi-generational military family, I initially enlisted in the Air Force seeking marketable technical skills when college wasn’t accessible. I chose the specialty with the longest technical training and unexpectedly discovered a passion for solving complex problems. Through overseas assignments working alongside Air Force Special Operations, I witnessed extraordinary competence and dedication to doing what’s right, regardless of cost – that changed my perspective. I wanted to be on the edge of the fight, alongside the most driven teams on the planet. That path led to college, grad school, commission, Army Infantry, Special Operations – along with the greatest joys and heaviest sorrows I’ve ever known.
While my service taught me many serious lessons about teamwork and mission focus, sometimes the most memorable moments are the absurd ones that keep you humble. Like most soldiers lucky (or unlucky) enough to attend Ranger School, I have strong memories of those days. During land navigation, in near total darkness, I fell into a wadi (a deep, narrowing creek bed) and found myself wedged tight, pinned by my backpack tracker. Before I could yell for help, I heard something large shuffling closer, grunting in the dark. We’d been warned about the wild boars. I braced myself for the worst — only to see a tiny, twenty-pound feral pig emerge from the brush, sniff me once, and wander off, thoroughly unimpressed. I wriggled free, followed its path, found my last two points, and made it back before cutoff. Moments like that remind you that humility and humor can be as essential as endurance.
My service instilled core lessons that shape everything I do today: intellectual humility, forced perspective shifting, problem-solving through lateral thinking, and, most importantly, capability incurs responsibility. Turning a blind eye to injustice is tantamount to injustice itself. If you can solve a critical problem, you must act. That principle guides my work at C3 AI. I came here for one reason: proximity to mission. At my previous company, a hyperscaler cloud provider, I couldn’t directly deliver the highest-quality AI capabilities to the defense and intelligence customers who need them most. At C3 AI, I’m back on the edge, directly impacting operations that matter.
I know firsthand the value of good intelligence and the devastating cost of bad intelligence to warfighters and civilians alike. Every operation lives or dies on the quality of information available. At C3 AI, we’re not just building AI, we’re delivering it directly to the teams who need it most. We help analysts surface patterns they might miss, give decision-makers the ability to predict and prevent problems before lives are at risk, and ensure that information reaches the right people in time to protect both our forces and innocent lives. The principle remains the same: if you can make a difference, you must. For me, this isn’t about market share. It’s about ensuring those who serve have every advantage we can give them, because I remember what it’s like to need that edge and not have it. We can make that difference.
Mike Marrone, Former Army Intel Officer
I served eight years in the U.S. Army, leading teams across Afghanistan, Germany, and Korea. Early in my career, I was at the forefront of the counter-IED fight in Afghanistan, working long nights under pressure to piece together intelligence across multiple domains — manually building the nodes and edges of complex networks. Later, I operated out of the U.S. Embassy in Korea, supporting strategic collaboration between U.S. and allied forces, industry, and policymakers to strengthen the INDOPACOM region. It was a defining experience that showed me the power of synchronization across policy, operations, and technology: how coordination at every level can shape outcomes and strengthen deterrence.
The most important lesson I carried from my time in service is the responsibility to take care of people. In the Army, that means counseling: helping your soldiers perform at their best. If someone isn’t meeting expectations, that’s on you as a leader. You don’t sideline them, you give them the tools and confidence to step up. Those experiences taught me the value of flexibility, trust, and teamwork — the foundation of any mission. Even under high stress or limited resources, you learn to adapt and find a way to accomplish the objective together.
At C3 AI, I see a direct continuation of that same sense of purpose. This is defense tech, and I can take my military experience and help shape products that directly impact warfighters. I’m proud to work alongside A-players and team players who share that mission-first mindset, delivering Enterprise AI technologies that strengthen readiness and decision making across the Department of Defense. Whether it’s enabling predictive maintenance for the Air Force or delivering AI-driven intelligence at the edge, I don’t see this as selling software. To me, it’s about delivering advanced capabilities to the same missions and people I once served alongside. It’s personal. You’re not just building AI, you’re building tools for your buddies who are still out there.
Paul Dean, Former Army Air Defense Artillery Officer
I first saw a West Point [United States Military Academy] recruitment video when I was sixteen. That moment set me on a path to West Point and then into five years of active duty in Air Defense Artillery, where I supervised PATRIOT missile units focused on ballistic missile defense. One moment that stands out was in the winter of 2015, when my unit was sent on short notice to convoy our entire battery to a remote field site in Poland. At the time, it just felt like another long, freezing mission with endless driving, equipment breakdowns, and bad instant coffee. But when the Polish Minister of Defense arrived to observe our operations, I realized the broader geopolitical importance of what we were doing. I learned then that what feels like routine work can play a real role in advancing national security.
Today, as part of the federal sales team at C3 AI, I still feel that same sense of mission, just in a different form. What drew me to C3 AI was its merciless accountability culture. In both the military and at C3 AI, success depends on personal ownership, clear communication, and doing what you say you’re going to do. I now work directly with U.S. Army organizations to help solve many of the same operational challenges I faced in uniform, only now I’m using Enterprise AI to drive readiness, efficiency, and decision advantage.
The Army taught me what I think of as an execution mindset: the ability to take a plan and make it real, even when conditions change. In the field, no plan survives first contact, so you learn to adapt and execute anyway. At C3 AI, that mindset translates directly into building AI solutions that work in real-world environments, not just in theory. Whether it’s missile defense or data defense, the purpose feels the same: to help our nation stay ready for whatever comes next.
Major Jake Castillo, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired
I joined the Marine Corps in 2002, motivated by the attacks of September 11. I was at a recruiting fair that day, and it felt like a blaring call to serve. I went back to the recruiting office, signed up, and immediately found a place where I belonged. Over 20 years, I served as a ground intelligence officer, Scout Sniper platoon commander, and in recruit training, among other roles. I deployed with infantry battalions to Iraq and Afghanistan, and worked in interservice and international partnerships across Asia and Australia. Those experiences gave me a deep appreciation for mission focus, discipline, and the power of small, high-performing teams.
My time with First Battalion, Fifth Marines, Scout Snipers, stands out as the hallmark of teamwork. We deployed in teams of six to eight, and everyone had a specific role — from radios to field medics — and you had to show up every day, performing your tasks at your best. Trust in your teammates’ abilities was innate; there was no way around it. You had to task-organize, rely on others, and constantly adapt your plan when conditions changed. Leadership was a two-way street: you led like you wanted to be led. I learned quickly that the Marines are underfunded and over-tasked, which forced creativity, resilience, and a positive, enduring attitude.
At C3 AI, I still get to work closely with the Marine Corps, supporting initiatives like Force Design 2030, Logistics 2030, and modernizing manpower systems. We help them optimize troop-to-task ratios, improve assignments processes, and ensure Marines have the time and resources to plan their careers effectively. Our work also supports training and education, helping Marines adopt new tools and technologies, including AI, to operate more efficiently in a contested environment. It’s incredibly fulfilling to be able to apply my experience to solving the same types of problems I encountered in service, and to see tangible results that help my friends and colleagues in uniform. Once a Marine, always a Marine. The Marine Corps is my home, my village, and being part of that mission in this way is deeply rewarding.
Grant Guttschow, U.S. Marine Corps Captain
When I arrived at the Naval Academy, my Commanding Officer asked me to describe why I was taking the oath in one word. I said independence. I didn’t come from a military family, but I wanted to build a life entirely on my own from the moment I turned 18. That sense of independence soon gave way to something deeper: the camaraderie and shared purpose that come from serving alongside others. I commissioned as a Marine Corps officer and had the privilege of working with some of the strongest, toughest, and funniest people I’ve ever known.
One of the defining moments of my career came during an overseas exercise in the Middle East in early 2020, right as the COVID pandemic began. I was leading a small team of cyber operators, working out of a tent in the desert while the entire world seemed to be changing overnight. Despite the uncertainty and chaos, the mission didn’t stop, and neither did we. It was a powerful reminder of how much we depend on one another, not just to accomplish the mission, but to stay grounded and resilient in the face of disruption.
The Marine Corps taught me lessons that guide me every day: decisiveness, adaptability, and the ability to make sense of chaos. There’s a quote attributed to General Patton that captures it well: “A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.” Especially in fast-moving fields like artificial intelligence, that mindset matters. Similarly, one concept I still use often is the OODA loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. It’s about staying agile, constantly learning, and acting fast. Whether in combat or in business, success depends on out-cycling the opposition by turning data into action faster.
At C3 AI, I see that same spirit of service continue. I use my military experiences to build AI solutions that directly support my brothers and sisters in uniform, helping them operate more effectively and giving them every advantage to succeed. Even if I don’t wear camouflage as much anymore, I still feel part of that mission team, delivering tools that make a difference for the people who dedicate their lives to serving our country.
Keith Wilson, Former Navy Submarine Officer
I grew up in the middle of Missouri on a farm, and I wanted to get out and see the world. My grandfather was a Navy corpsman in World War II in the Pacific Theater, and as a young kid, he told me stories about the service, and the importance of it. That inspired me to do something similar. I participated in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program at the University of Missouri, and immediately upon graduation, was commissioned into the Navy.
During my service, I was a submarine officer attached to a Virginia class submarine in Hawaii. I did two deployments there, and the second one in particular was a defining chapter. It centered on a mission that took nearly a year of preparation, a mission that required every one of the 120 sailors on board to perform flawlessly. Watching that level of coordination and trust come together, and seeing our crew chosen specifically for that mission because of our performance, remains one of the proudest moments of my career.
For as long as I can remember, and specifically during my time in the Navy, I’ve been fascinated by data and numbers. Submarines generate huge amounts of data — thousands of readings on temperatures, pressures, and performance indicators. But back then, much of it was still recorded by hand. I remember thinking, there has to be a better way. I was frustrated by the lack of advanced tools and software. After the Navy, I used the GI Bill to earn an MBA and a master’s degree in data science, and started in consulting to advise on the issues I was seeing when I was in the military. However, I quickly realized that these beautifully designed, 60-slide PowerPoint decks weren’t what would actually drive adoption — working, scalable products were.
That’s what drew me to C3 AI. Here, I get to work directly with defense organizations and companies supporting the defense industrial base, like Huntington Ingalls Industries, who actually built my submarine. I work with the Defense Logistics Agency and the U.S. Army, and though I never interacted with either of them directly while I was in the military, I understand and relate to their missions. My years in the Navy shaped everything about how I work today. The submarine force instills a relentless attention to detail – when you’re operating a nuclear reactor hundreds of feet below the ocean, the smallest mistake can have serious consequences. That precision mindset carries through in my work at C3 AI. We’re not a Beltway company – we bring Silicon Valley innovation to the military. Enabling and supporting these important missions is a direct connection back to my own service that happens almost daily.
Nicholas Galanos, Former Navy Surface Warfare Officer
I joined the Navy because I wanted to see the world and be part of something larger than myself. There was a sense of adventure and purpose tied to naval service, a calling to serve that blended a warrior ethos with diplomacy. That balance proved true throughout my career as I traveled around the world, experienced different cultures, and saw firsthand the impact of American leadership abroad. Throughout history, the seas have often been contested, limiting the ability to trade and create prosperity. The U.S. Navy has long upheld that order, preserving freedom of navigation, enabling global commerce, and fostering cooperation among nations. Some of my most formative experiences came not just from operating in the South China Sea and Middle East, but from my time in shipyards. Watching thousands of people coordinate across specialties to bring a ship to life left a lasting impression. It taught me that true teamwork is about aligning human and technical systems toward a shared mission — a principle I carry with me today as we scale AI technologies.
The Navy instilled in me a deep respect for what one of my Executive Officers once described as “rugged individualism” — a culture built on initiative and accountability. It’s the essence of command by negation: you’re trusted to act, to take responsibility, and to figure it out even when the landscape is uncertain. That mindset of disciplined autonomy has shaped how I lead and problem-solve. After leaving the Navy, I worked across the Middle East on some of the world’s largest megaprojects and saw firsthand how the U.S. had fallen behind in its ability to build at scale. My passion has always been solving complex, industrial-scale challenges, so joining C3 AI felt like a natural continuation of that mission. C3 AI’s work to modernize and reindustrialize America’s shipbuilding and manufacturing base is deeply personal to me.
At C3 AI, I lead our maritime industrial base initiatives with a focus on AI for shipbuilding. Similar to how Henry J. Kaiser’s wartime shipyards transformed production in the 1940s, we’re redefining how ships can be built today through AI. In shipbuilding, the “currency” is schedule: the ability to synchronize thousands of interdependent jobs across multiple hulls, shops, and suppliers. C3 AI’s technology allows shipyards to unify data, identify bottlenecks in real time, and prioritize the right work at the right time. It’s not just about increasing throughput; it’s about orchestrating production across a complex ecosystem to deliver ships to the Navy faster and strengthen national defense. The mission hasn’t changed — it’s still about enabling the fleet — but the tools are different. What endures is the same spirit of service, initiative, and accountability that defined my time in uniform and continues to guide my work today.
Nick Mantalvanos, Captain (ret), U.S. Navy
My journey into the Navy began in eighth grade, when my chemistry teacher, Mr. Shea, asked what I wanted to do as a career. When I said I wanted to be a pilot, he told me, “Then you have to go to the Naval Academy and become a Naval Aviator, because the Navy has the best pilots.” That advice set me on a path that would define my career. I was one year into my first squadron tour when September 11 happened. Almost immediately, I was assigned to a detachment that deployed the next day. Within 24 hours, we had to pack, say goodbye to our families, and get everything ready to deploy. Every member of the team gave 1000%, taking on assigned tasks and picking up whatever needed doing. Because of that teamwork and focus, we successfully flew the detachment onto the ship and began missions with the preparation in place for what we knew would be an extended deployment.
That experience cemented the lessons I carry today: communication is key, and understanding the mission, the strategy to achieve it, and how leadership supports each department ensures people go above and beyond. A few days later, when we returned to our homeport in Norfolk, we were told not to offload and that we would depart again in two days for an indefinite deployment. The preparation we did while underway reduced stress and allowed everyone to manage personal matters efficiently. Without focus and teamwork, we could not have executed our mission or maintained readiness under pressure.
At C3 AI, I continue to support the military and Intelligence Community by delivering the best AI products to the people I served alongside. Projects like GURU (Generative Unified Retrieval Utility) with the U.S. Space Force allow analysts and leaders to process massive data sets and uncover insights that could never be gleaned manually, providing the “needles in a haystack” decision advantage. My approach to problem-solving still values team input, but I also know when to make decisions and communicate them clearly, building trust and reducing misunderstandings. Working here is incredibly fulfilling, knowing that the technology we deliver directly enhances the effectiveness and safety of those serving our country.
Across C3 AI, these veterans represent the same core principles that define both military and mission-focused innovation: teamwork, accountability, adaptability, and service to something larger than oneself.
They may have traded their uniforms for laptops, but their mission remains the same — to protect, to serve, and to deliver technologies that help our nation stay strong.
