Living a full life.

“I thought it was strictly one weekend a month, two weeks a year. I never realized there were so many options and opportunities available.” This was Christopher’s impression of the Navy Reserve upon joining.

A year before joining, Christopher transitioned from the Navy, where he served as a Cryptologic Technician (CT). According to Christopher, his main interest in joining the Reserve was to maintain his security clearance. “I was looking into high-tech civilian jobs, and I felt that having my security clearance would be a big leg up.”

Christopher subsequently joined the Navy Reserve and began drilling one weekend a month. “I hadn’t been in that long when they asked me if I wanted to do a three-month assignment at a high-profile, government computer installation,” he says. “I had no idea these types of opportunities existed. I accepted the assignment, and here it is four years later and I’m still there.”

Although a Reservist, Christopher is on Active Duty orders, working full-time as a CT for the Navy. This is a prime example of the freedom and flexibility that Christopher says he never expected serving in the Navy Reserve, but really enjoys. “I’m still here, because I truly love what I’m doing. But, if I so chose, I could have moved on to many other assignments, including going overseas.”

One reason Christopher didn’t choose to go overseas is that he is devoted to his family. Christopher and his wife Jill are proudly raising two sons, John Mark, 8, and Jansen, 5, and their 6-month-old baby daughter Heidi. “My family is my number one priority,” explains Christopher. “So that’s another reason I like my current situation with the Navy Reserve so much. I have a level of job security that I probably could never find in the civilian world.”

In addition to the job security, Christopher feels that the Navy Reserve also has provided him with extensive expertise and training that he couldn’t get anywhere else. “It’s unbelievable how many certifications I’ve received in the last two years,” he says. “In fact, I just recently obtained my CISSP [Certified Information Systems Security Professionals] certification, which is one of the most difficult computer security certificates there is to acquire.”

Away from the office, Christopher enjoys spending time with his family. He and his two boys often go inline skating and bike riding together. Christopher is also an avid amateur photographer specializing in candid outdoor shots.

Christopher lives in the Southeast United States.