Army Housing Blacksmith
I have always enjoyed working with my hands and wood working was my major hobby. I left for flight school for the West Virginia Army National Guard in February of 2014. I could not take my wood working equipment with me and after being down at Fort Rucker Alabama for a couple months I quickly decided I needed a hobby. I had always been fascinated with blacksmithing and decided to give it a go (you can learn how to do anything from YouTube!).
I made a cheap forge, bought a cheap anvil and some hammers and found some scrap metal at a junk yard and started hammering away. I set up my blacksmith shop in the carport of our place in military housing on post, which eventually attracted the eye of the housing people and caused me some issues.
I graduated flight school in April 2015 and now we are living in Lexington VA. I have a proper blacksmith shop here at my house now and have added to and upgraded much of my equipment. Before leaving for flight school I had been a police officer for 12 years. I decided to leave law enforcement and I am trying to support my family (5 boys and a wonderful wife) with the National Guard and blacksmithing.
I also have a bachelor's degree in Religion Youth Ministries. I believe that God has called me to pursue ministry and I am looking for opportunities to serve God in that capacity in a local church as a bi vocational minister as well.
