Veterans Spotlight

At Odyssey, we take great pride in honoring the men and women who have served our nation. Their experiences, leadership, and resilience continue to inspire us and shape the values we uphold as a company. In this edition of The Journey, we’re introducing a new section featuring some of our Odyssey teammates whose stories reflect courage, commitment, and the lifelong impact of military service.

Max Grindstaff

U.S. Air Force

Max Grindstaff served in the U.S. Air Force from 1987–2017. Following in a long family tradition of military service, he entered the Air Force with the desire to see the world. His career included work in Security Forces, cyber operations, and serving as a Command Chief during his final ten years.

He was stationed in locations including Michigan, Panama, the United Kingdom, New York, North Dakota, California, Diego Garcia, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas, Afghanistan, Utah, Ohio, and Colorado at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Among his proudest accomplishments was attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, a recognition he describes as validating years of dedication and sacrifice. He was also awarded the Bronze Star for his leadership during a year-long mission advising the Afghan Air Force.

Looking back, Max remembers leading more than 1,000 advisors in Afghanistan as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and describes his deployments in Panama and Afghanistan as “night and day different.” He credits his Air Force career with giving him a strong foundation, a global family, and lasting friendships. While he values the discipline and habits it instilled—like rising early and making the bed—he jokes that being an early riser is both a strength and a frustration.

Mark Lugar

U.S. Air Force

Mark Lugar served in the U.S. Air Force from 2016–2025 as a Contract Specialist. His experience taught him discipline, leadership, and the importance of being a teammate that others can rely on. He credits the military with shaping the foundation of who he is today.

What Mark appreciates most about his service is the people he met along the way. Regardless of rank or role, he experienced camaraderie and mutual respect that created bonds lasting beyond the challenges of training, deployments, and high-stress environments.

Reflecting on his service, Mark shares that teamwork was the most valuable lesson. He emphasizes that progress comes when people support and push each other toward a common goal.

Dean Wilson

U.S. Navy

Dean Wilson served in the U.S. Navy from August 1981 to November 2007. His motivation to join came from several factors: an uncle who shared stories of naval life, a difficult home situation that made him eager to prove himself, and the confidence gained from scoring highly on the ASVAB test. He also hoped to see the world—and says he did just that.

Dean began his career as an Aviation Structural Mechanic working on A-6E Intruders aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He advanced quickly, eventually serving as a shop supervisor before commissioning as an officer and earning a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech. As a Naval Flight Officer, he flew the E-2C Hawkeye and later attended the Navy Test Pilot School, flying or flying in 22 types of aircraft.

Among his proudest achievements were attaining the ranks of AMH1 (E-6) and Commander (O-5), receiving Air Medals for operations over Bosnia, and earning a Meritorious Service Medal for his work at NAVAIRSYSCOM. He also valued his two Good Conduct Awards as a reminder of his enlisted roots.

Dean recalls a wide range of deployment experiences, from seeing the pyramids in Egypt and the holy sites of Jerusalem to facing the dangers of carrier aviation and the loss of shipmates. He notes that his military service continues to influence his life, giving him persistence, technical expertise, and readiness for any challenge.

Martin A. Witman

U.S. Marine Corps

Martin Witman served in the U.S. Marine Corps from June 2009 to August 2016. He was motivated to enlist by his family’s Marine Corps legacy and by the September 11th attacks, which deeply affected him growing up in New York.

He served as a Marine Combat Controller and Combat Aircrewman with deployments to Afghanistan in Helmand, Sangin, Marjah, Masir E Sharif, Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Bagram. He is most proud of achieving the rank of Corporal, which allowed him to lead while maintaining close ties with junior Marines.

His awards include four Air Medals representing over 640 direct combat flight hours and permanent Combat Aircrew Wings with three Silver Stars. Martin describes these as reminders of the men and women he served with under difficult conditions.

He reflects that the Marine Corps gave him perseverance, resilience, and the ability to work in adverse environments while staying focused on the needs of others. He also credits his wife Lara and his previous leadership for helping him transition successfully to civilian life. He advises others leaving the service not to let military service define them, but to use it as a foundation for growth. While he misses the camaraderie, he is glad to leave behind mandatory working parties and field day formations.

Brian Barrish

U.S. Army

Brian Barrish served in the U.S. Army from July 2005 to November 2015, with assignments in Germany, the United Kingdom, South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His decision to enlist was motivated by both a sense of duty and the opportunity to pay off college loans. What began as a practical choice evolved into a decade of service, culminating in a medical retirement due to illness.

Brian is most proud of the leadership opportunities he gained and the soldiers he was able to support. Among his awards, the Meritorious Service Medal, presented at retirement, was especially meaningful, as it reflected the respect and behind-the-scenes efforts of his colleagues.

Reflecting on his deployments, Brian recalls long days and moments of fear, but most of all the camaraderie that carried him through. His service taught him resilience, perseverance, and the importance of humility. He notes that while he misses the family-like bonds of the Army, he does not miss the long “motor pool Fridays” that often stretched late into the night.