About Gary

I grew up in Ewing Township, just outside Trenton, New Jersey — a working-class, multicultural neighborhood where expectations were often limited, especially for Black kids like me. My parents built our family home with love and discipline, but they didn’t know the college process. I had no mentors, no roadmap. So I created my own.

I was an average student in high school — not because I lacked ability, but because no one expected more. That changed when I arrived at North Carolina A&T University. Surrounded by professors who demanded excellence and believed in me, I transformed into a serious student. Later, I discovered I enjoyed learning — so much so that I earned three master’s degrees in International Relations, National Resource Strategy, and Logistics & Supply Chain Management.

To pay for school, I joined the ROTC, which became the second best decision of my young life. The U.S. Air Force gave me structure, direction, and purpose. I served for 29 years, rose to the rank of colonel, and commanded both a large transportation squadron and, later, a logistics group. Every assignment was a challenge I met with pride.

After retiring from active duty, I worked another 17 years as a government contractor. But in 2022, I fully retired to start something new — a space to serve fellow veterans in a different way.

That’s how 1 Ebony Eagle was born.