Veterans Spotlight

Mark Graves is retired United States Air Force who served for 25 years. He was an Aircrew Member of E-3 AWACS, E-8 Joint STARS, and EC-130 Compass Call aircraft for over 24 years exiting as MSgt (E7). Mark flew for more than 8,000 flight hours. He had numerous deployments in support of the Iran/Iraq War, Bosnia War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Provide Comfort. His role was to provide computer support for airborne missions both providing air picture and directing fighter aircraft to selected targets.

One of the highlights of his career was providing air picture surveillance during the Search and Rescue operations for downed Pilot Capt. Scott O’Grady. He traveled to more than 25 countries and met many interesting people.

Mark notes two specific things that he learned in the military that has helped his career at NDi. First, the ability to work with people with different backgrounds and interests. Second, the ability to communicate effectively both to leadership and peers.

One of the challenges he faced in transition was understanding that interoffice relationships were different and more individualistic than in the military and there were multiple methods to get to the team objective. His advice is to be patient with new work relationships. Be flexible with peers, who may have different goals.

In his free time Mark enjoys golfing, watching sports, or playing chess.

Fun Fact: Mark and three of his friends, who met at his first duty station, attend each other’s retirement ceremonies and talk at least once a month. Their combined years Active Duty in the U.S. Air Force is 117.

Mark believes Veterans Day is a day to honor the men and women who took the oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Thank you for your service, Mark.

Many of us have a personal story from the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001. For Marcus Meyer, NDi’s VP of Enterprise Solutions, the events of that day were his inspiration to join the United States Marine Corps. He drove to the recruiting center and was at boot camp three months later. Marcus proceeded to earn the honor of Company Honor Graduate in a class of more than 300 recruits.

Marcus served in communications for four years with two back-to-back combat deployments to Fallujah, Iraq, and helped lead engineering of the largest Regimental size communications network in a combat zone in Marine Corps history. He was honorably discharged from the military as an E5 Sergeant.

In addition to getting as much schooling and relatable experience while in the military, he advises having a plan and goals before exiting. One of the challenges Marcus realized when transitioning to civilian life was the newfound freedom without structured routines and accountability. He had to set goals to ensure consistent progression in his personal and professional life.

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Dan Spano joined the United States Marine Corp and served as an Artillery Officer (Forward Observer, Fire Direction Officer, and Artillery Liaison Officer) before transitioning to aviation and becoming an AV-8B pilot. He served for 23 years with four deployments (Okinawa, Japan; Mediterranean and Red Sea; Mediterranean and North Arabian Sea; and Iraq) and retired as a Lt. Col.

The Marines prepared him to take on any role, but when Dan transitioned to civilian life, his biggest challenge was figuring out what he wanted to do. His advice is to start planning early and be able to show how your military experiences translate to the career you want.

Believe it or not, there are many similarities between planning a mission as a pilot and working as a project manager. Because of his experience, Dan can respond to unexpected changes and discern the difference between what is important and what is not. His military career allowed him to work with a variety of people and personalities and prepared him to help our NDi teams to produce their best work.
Dan spends his free time with family and playing ice hockey on an all-veteran team competing in a local league and national tournaments. He is a Carolina Hurricanes fan and has traveled to six of the seven continents. (Antarctica in 2025 anyone?)

On Veterans Day, Dan reflects on his own military service as well as that of his fellow veterans. He believes there are many veterans that will need both mental and physical support in the coming years. It is important that we do not forget what our country asked of these veterans (20+ years of war) and the promises that were made for their return.

Thank you, Dan, for your service.

Govanda Sawyack, or “G” as we call him, proudly served in the United States Army for 30 years, 23 of those in Special Operations. Motivated by a desire to serve his country and pursue personal growth, he enlisted as an Infantryman immediately after high school. He cultivated his leadership abilities through the “teach, coach, mentor” model, learning the significance of teamwork, building trust within a unit, and embodying the principle of selfless service.

As his career progressed, he transitioned into the field of Intelligence expanding his perspective on strategic and organizational operations and enriching his overall understanding of military dynamics. G has served as a Rifleman, Team Leader, Squad Leader, Detachment SGM, Course Director, and Operations SGM, with 12 total deployments (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa). G retired as a sergeant major.

“Throughout my military career, I have been able to meet and learn from many different people from all walks of life. That real-world experience has shaped me as a person and has helped me develop professionally.”

All the skills G learned in the military have proven to be extremely valuable in his civilian career, including leadership, soft skills, attention to detail, critical thinking, organizational culture, open communications, listening, and team building to name a few. Transitioning from the military to a civilian career is not an easy task when you spend 20 plus years. He was fortunate to have good mentors, teammates, and his faith to help him through.

G’s advice? “It’s going to be ok! Take a breath, know who/what your support system is, and more importantly, don’t forget you are the writer of your own story.”

In his free time, G loves spending time with his family, working out, teaching people how to jump from airplanes, and doing tandem jumps.

Thank you for your service, G!

Brian’s inspiration to join the military was his grandfather who served as a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps glider crew during the North Africa campaign. His service left a lasting impression on him, and in Brian’s junior of high school, watching the Gulf War unfold, he felt a strong pull to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and be part of something greater than himself.

Brian served in the U.S. Air Force for four years as a munitions systems specialist in Lowry AFB in Colorado, Nellis AFB in Nevada, Kunsan AFB in South Korea, and Shaw AFB in South Carolina. He was out processed active duty as an E3.

The military taught him discipline, adaptability, and problem-solving under pressure — skills that have been invaluable in his civilian career. It taught him to prioritize the mission, focus on the greater objective, and recognize the significance of his role in contributing to a larger goal. His time in the military also instilled a deep commitment to supporting the U.S. federal mission, which aligns closely with NDi’s focus on serving our federal communities.

To Brian, Veterans Day is a time of reflection and gratitude. It’s an opportunity to honor the sacrifices made by veterans who served our country.

Thank you for your service, Brian.

Louis was fulfilling a family tradition of military service when he joined the United States Army. His uncle served in the 101st Airborne during WWII, and his dad and two other uncles served in the United States Navy during WWII and Korea.

Louis served as a leader and trainer, in Field Artillery Operations for 21 years and retired First Sergeant (1SG). He had three tours in Germany, served in the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, three tours in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, one in Korea, and one during Desert Shield/Storm as Senior FA Operations lead.

His military career provided leadership skills, organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize the truly important over the trivial. The military provided both physical and mental challenges. “Some overtly dangerous and stressful situations have given me a sense of perspective and the ability to sort out issues and problems, decomposing things to a level for resolution.”

Leaving the military for the civilian world and commercial marketplace was a shock. The military is a family that takes care of one another and shares a common bond. He survived by leaning heavily on family and military friends who’d gone through the same transition.
Louis has two pieces of advice. First, educate yourself in both technical/professional skills and ‘soft’ skills for managing people. Second, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and know what value you bring to the marketplace. Even combat-oriented skills translate into running projects and leading teams of people of varied backgrounds and skills.

The military prepared him for his current role at NDi by allowing him to work with people from incredibly varied backgrounds which makes it very easy to work in the multi-cultural environment of today’s IT workforce. His assignment at U.S. Army headquarters for three years also prepared him for his project management career as he learned both computer skills and designed a program for retraining soldiers whose jobs had been made obsolete.

Louis points out that less than one percent of the U.S. population serves in the military today. They make significant sacrifice, often in places few would dare to go, on our behalf. They deserve our respect!

Louis enjoys playing guitar, bicycling, and fishing. In 1988 he participated in a 9-day, 900-mile bicycle event commemorating the Liberation of France by the Allied armies in WWII. The ride began at the Normandy beachhead and continued through Paris to Strasbourg.

Special note: In May 2025, NDi will be participating in Face of America, a two-day, 110-mile ride from Washington, DC to Gettysburg, PA, in support of Wounded Warriors and other adaptive athletes. NDi is fielding a 10-rider team as well as staffing one of the rest stops. Contact Louis for more information.

Fresh out of high school, Bow was originally on the college path but decided to enlist in the U.S. Army because it seemed more exciting and adventurous. That decision ended up turning into a 20-year career, in which Bow rose among the enlisted ranks to Staff Sergeant and then Captain.

Bow served deployments in Afghanistan (Avionic Communications Supervisor), Iraq (Logistic Support Supervisor), and Kosovo (Information System Engineer). His fondest memories include his time as an enlisted leader, helping his Soldiers achieve their personal and career goals; and his time running convoys in Iraq.

Most of his time in service was spent in a supervisory or management role, with personnel reporting to him. That helped him navigate some of the leadership roles he’s been given. Bow learned that perseverance pays off, and there is no problem/challenge that can’t be solved. It’s just a matter of strategy and approach.

“The biggest challenge transitioning to a civilian career was understanding that my mindset for problem-solving may be a little different than others. It was key for me to understand the policies, procedures, and norms of my work environment.” His advice? Don’t doubt your military experiences and how they can be valuable references to solving some of your challenges.

In his free time, Bow likes to hang out with family and friends. On Veterans Day, he takes time to reflect on his time in the military and appreciate the fact that his family was part of the journey. Bow urges you to talk to a veteran about their experiences; you might hear some interesting things.

Thank you for your service, Bow!

Steve served as a Combat Engineer Officer in the United States Marine Corps for 10 years providing mobility, counter mobility, survivability, and general engineering support for his fellow Marines exiting as a Captain. He comes from a military background where his father served as an Electronic Warfare Officer in the U.S. Air Force, and his grandfather served in the U.S. Army as a Cavalryman. But the truth is, he was lured by the opportunity to serve his country while having an adventure.

His deployment to Somalia with BLT 3/6, 24th MEU was one of those adventures, and he felt their work there saved American lives. However, his most memorable experience was serving as OIC for Minefield Maintenance in Guantanamo as part of the Marine Barracks.

The military taught Steve to appreciate every job being done even the ones that aren’t glamorous. They all have value and if they aren’t getting done, then your Marines (or employees) can’t focus on doing their job. Recognize and appreciate everyone who contributes, no matter their role.

Steve had to learn a few things to transition successfully into his civilian career—controlling the urge to use dark humor and learning to take a deep breath when people focus on the trivial. Steve sums up his transition with a quote from the song “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers; “Man, I ain’t changed, but I know I ain’t the same.”

Steve’s advice to his fellow veterans is, “The military fundamentally changed who you are so you could serve your country. When you return to the civilian world, you bring that change with you. Don’t feel like you have to bury who you have become to fit in; the citizens you served owe you that for your service.”

The military prepared him for his current job by allowing him to step back and view the big picture. Also, he knows how to differentiate between failure and when things just don’t work out—and that’s an important distinction. As for his work at NDi, he loves the environment created by all the great people, regardless of military service. The focus is on team success, and he enjoys contributing to that.

In his free time, Steve likes to read and swim and is considering getting back into Iaido, a Japanese martial art focused on sword kata. Two unrelated interesting facts about Steve: He has located and removed more than 4,000 landmines, and he has a scar from a sword cut on his leg (one has to wonder if this is Iaido related).

“When you thank a veteran for their service, spend a moment to think about what you have done to make this a better country while they were serving you. Go serve in your community; be a soccer coach, a Scout leader, teach reading at a local school, teach Sunday school or something that makes life better for others. Anyone can give money to a cause; giving of yourself and your time show service.”

Thank you for your service, Steve.

Our president and CEO, Anthony Z., served in the U.S. Army for 25 years. His first 5 years were spent in the Infantry, then he transitioned to Military Intelligence and retired as a Colonel. His primary role was Senior Intelligence Officer, where he met “extraordinary, ordinary people.” He spent nearly six years deployed in vacation spots in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Levant.

Anthony cites Leadership as the most important skill learned in is time in the military and one that he transitioned to his civilian career.

Veterans Day, to him, is a day of remembrance and reflection.

Thank you, Anthony, for your service.

Lance had always been fascinated by all things mechanical and electrical. So, when several of his friends decided to join the military after high school, Lance chose to enlist in the U.S. Air Force as a radar technician. After completing basic training, he attended the Automatic Tracking Radar School at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. The training lasted approximately 11 months, and upon graduation, he was permanently stationed at Detachment 5 in Wilder, ID.

Detachment 5 was part of the Strategic Air Command, 1st Combat Evaluation Group (1CEVG), where Lance also had temporary duty (TDY) assignments to mobile radar detachments in Forsythe, MT, and Belle Fourche, SD during his enlistment. The primary mission of the 1CEVG was to test, evaluate, and enhance the effectiveness of various combat systems, including radar and electronic warfare systems, improving strategic and tactical operations, and ensuring that the USAF maintained its edge in electronic warfare and radar systems. This primarily involved training and scoring B-52 and FB-111 low-level bomb runs while presenting various electronic warfare scenarios. Due to the nature of the low-level bomb runs, the radar sites were positioned set up in areas with little to no population. In some cases, the sites were hours away from the nearest town.

Following his active-duty service, Lance joined the Rhode Island Air National Guard (RIANG) 102nd as a combat air traffic control radar maintenance specialist for two years until the subsequent closure of the radar site in North Smithfield, RI.

Lance’s experiences in the Air Force and the Air National Guard have greatly impacted his life and civilian career. The training, discipline, and friendships he developed continue to inspire him today.

He currently resides in Northern VA with his wife and their Great Dane—Harley. Thank you for your service, Lance.

Daniel’s desire to serve in uniform began at an early age, having been reared in a home with rich histories of service to both the U.S. Navy and Air Force. His own accession followed an untraditional route. After reporting to Navy Air Station Pensacola for OCS as a Student Naval Aviator, his score on the infamous depth perception test initiated a significant delay. Fourteen years later, Daniel finally secured a commission in the Navy Reserve as an Intelligence Officer, doing so while already serving as an FBI Special Agent in its National Security Division. 

With the U.S. Navy Daniel has supported four combatant commands, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Office of Naval Intelligence, through a mixture of active and reserve periods. He has also worked by and with Host Nation forces of Japan, South Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Daniel only briefly called one ship, the USS Blue Ridge, home while he was working ashore in Busan, South Korea. While he has spent considerable time underway in the Sulu Sea with the U.S. Navy in his capacity as a Special Agent, his most notable time underway in uniform was while piloting a UK Royal Navy RHIB on the river Thames. Daniel is blessed to continue in his reserve capacity, doing so currently as the Executive Officer of an ONI Brooks Unit in San Diego, California.

Despite having worked throughout the interagency for more than 20 years in various civilian capacities, Daniel’s biggest takeaway from time in uniform is the immediate and visceral comradery that exists within (Go Navy, beat Army!) and across U.S. and partner nation services and how it engenders scale and speed in productivity.

Daniel believes, “NDi’s deep bench of veterans equips it to bring that very culture into the workplace, where the team tailors and focuses its services, and service, to our federal partners.”

Thank you for your service, Daniel.

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