KJ enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1993 and served as a Military Postal Clerk at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Camp Fuji, Japan, and Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy.  In 2001 he left the military and worked as an inventory control manager for AT&T in Dallas, Texas.  March of 2004, he enlisted into the Texas Army National Guard as an Infantryman and deployed with the 36th Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.  In August of 2006 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Army Ordnance Corps.  For the remainder of 2006 and until 2012 he worked as a contractor for the US Department of State at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.  In 2012 he deployed to Afghanistan with the Texas Army National Guard as a Logistics Advisor to the Afghan Uniform Police.  KJ next taught Military Science at Stephen F. Austin University and in September of 2014 began serving as the Executive Officer for the Texas Border Security Mission in McAllen, Texas.  KJ began his first Acquisitions assignment at Camp Arifijan, Kuwait as the OCS (Operational Contracting Support) Officer in Charge for K-BOSSS, the largest base services contract in the Department of Defense.  KJ’s next assignment was at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas where he served as a Contracting Team Leader at the US Property & Fiscal Office for Texas.

KJ has earned many federal military awards that include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and multiple overseas campaign medals.  His Texas military awards include the Texas Medal of Merit, Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal, and the Texas Combat Service Medal.

KJ earned a Master of Science in Management of Integrated Logistics, a Bachelor of Science in Management of Technical Operations, and a professional certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  His military education includes Marine Corps Basic Training, Military Postal Operations Course, Marine Corps Non-commissioned Officer Course, Army Officer Candidate School, Army Ordnance Officer Basic Course, Army Multi-functional Logistician Advanced Course, Army Operational Contracting Support (ASI3C), and the Army Acquisition Professionals Course (FA51), he is also a DAWIA Level II certified contract specialist.  KJ is a member of his local Rotary Club, American Legion, and the Dallas Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and has volunteered as a mentor to graduate level Supply Chain students at University of Texas Dallas.