Truth

What is this?

I was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps in 1995. Coming from a family of SOF combat veterans, pilots, and POWs, I was keenly aware at the time that my service was unusual in both pace and substance.

By age 22, I had completed multiple advanced schools — often above my pay grade — and participated in Agency-led clandestine operations at Vandenberg AFB as well as combat operations in Somalia, years before the Global War on Terror.

A sudden family emergency forced me to leave the Corps three months before my EAS. My plan was to attend college and then use my dense experience as a stepping stone into federal service or as a Special Forces officer. Life, however, had other plans.

When I left, my DD214 was issued nearly blank. No schools. No operations. No recognition of what I had actually done. For 30 years I tried to fix it, but every attempt met with silence or red tape. I signed a 30-year NDA for the Vandenberg mission, and whether it was connected or not, it kept me quiet — I didn’t dare make noise, press too hard, or risk saying something I shouldn’t. Thirty years later, the NDA expired, but my records remain incomplete.

The cost of that silence was real. I lost out on the career paths I had trained for in federal service and private contracting. Without proof of combat or advanced training, doors stayed shut. I pursued a BA, then an MBA, and rose to executive levels in a field I never intended to enter, all while living a parallel reality where my service couldn’t be spoken of openly. Most people I confided in didn’t believe me — “How could the military not have your records? You must be doing it wrong.”

The truth is, my records are missing. And because of that, I went decades without PTSD treatment, hearing-loss support, or proper recognition. I eventually paid thousands to third-party advocates for limited assistance. In 2023, HQMC finally issued a DD215 confirming my Somalia service, but most of my history is still absent.

For me, this is about more than care or benefits — it is about integrity. I served honorably. I kept my end of the agreement. All I ask is that the country I served does the same.

My goals are simple:

• To obtain my complete SRB and medical records.

• To correct my DD214/215 so that it reflects my real service.

• To preserve an accurate account of my time in service — for my children, for my family’s long military tradition, and for myself.

For those who have known me over the years and sensed I was holding something back — this is it.

People and culture

Our people are what make us unique. Rather than outsourcing our construction engineers from questionable outsourcing establishments, we provide them with an environment that supports professional growth.

We are strong believers in giving our employees a voice. Our teams are put together with the help of our resident psychologist to ensure maximum productivity and engagement.

Esther Bryce

Founder / Interior designer

Lianne Wilson

Broker

Jaden Smith

Architect

Jessica Kim

Photographer