After participating in combat operations and being in a foreign country for nearly nine months, God kept Mike safe and brought him back home to his beloved country, the United States of America. Once home, God led him to a young lady at Clearwater Christian College in Clearwater, Florida. After dating for three years, Mike and Maureen were married. Mike would eventually receive numerous medals and decorations for his service and finally an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps.

He then began a new career as a law enforcement officer in Tampa, Florida. During his time as a police officer, he would again face many dangerous challenges while working as a street level narcotics officer in the project areas of Hillsborough County Florida. Many of those years he served as a sniper, on the county wide SWAT team. As before, God protected him through the many life threatening situations that he faced all the while doing a work in his heart which would eventually lead his growing family into full time ministry.

On September 11, 2001, as the United States of America was being attacked, Mike knew the military would be going to war as it had ten years before. That day a spark was re-ignited within his heart to once again be apart of the armed services. For the next few years, God continued to fan that flame as Mike accepted the position as youth pastor at Hillsdale Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida. It became clear that God was beginning to use his unique past experiences to assist with the ministries within his church and also to open new doors of opportunities elsewhere. During a missions conference in 2004, Mike and Maureen were challenged with the overwhelming need of Independant Baptist chaplains within the military to share the truth of God’s Word and the spiritual freedom found in the saving power of Jesus Christ. Finally, it all made sense. Mike’s past combat experiences, his time spent as a police officer, and the experience gained in a local church ministry, would all open many doors to minister to the more than 2.1 million men and women in uniform.

Credibility must be earned before a soldier will listen to a chaplain. Mike had instant credibility! In January, 2005, he accepted a commission in the United States Navy as a chaplain and now serves with a Marine Corps Reserve unit in Tampa, Florida. Upon completion of graduate school, Mike and his family will return to active duty.