ERIC G. of Ali Al Salem, Kuwait

“I dropped out of high school halfway through because my mother was hit by a car. So I had to go to work and help with the bills. I deployed to Iraq when I was 19 and that is where I completed my High School Diploma through Penn Foster. I then went to Kuwait, and I am getting my Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. I don’t get any days off, and I work 12 to 14 hours a day. I study before work each morning.”

Eric is among 450 civilians working at the 85 “contingency exchanges” that support troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The exchange service operates retail stores, gas stations and other services, such as salons, on U.S. Army and Air Force bases around the world. He is currently back in Iraq working at the Basrah International Airport. Eric enjoys meeting people from all over the world and has picked up a smattering of Arabic, Persian, and other languages.

Home in the United States is Skagit County, Alaska, where his mother and stepfather relocated from Idaho. While in the Northwest, Eric enjoyed spending time in the outdoors and attending car shows and local festivals. Read more about Eric in GoSkagit.com.

JOHN C. of Florida

John C. is working toward his Associate Degree in Business Management. John currently serves as the Manager of IT Security and HIPAA Security Officer for Memorial Healthcare System in Broward County, Florida. He also serves as the CEO for OMC Systems LLC, a family owned computer and security consulting firm which develops custom software and security-related solutions for clients nationwide. He has over 18 years of experience, which includes designing, managing, securing, and auditing corporate networks. John has many industry certifications and is also a Florida Licensed Private Investigator and Florida Notary. He has been published in Security Magazine and the ISSA Journal for topics including Healthcare Security, Visitor Management, and Identity Management.