Heritage & Awareness: Honoring Veterans Day

Observed on November 11, Veterans Day pays tribute to those who served their country during war or peacetime. As part of the Heritage & Awareness series, the Office of Community Engagement and Dialogue spoke to Veterans Club leaders Sean Condon ’26, Craig Cowell ’26, Kevin Miguel ’26, and Tyler Moncrief ’26 about how their military experience intersects with their MBA.

Tell us about your military journey.

Sean Condon: I was part of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate. Upon graduation, I joined the Navy’s submarine force as an ensign (an entry-level commissioned officer’s rank). I then completed a variety of training on nuclear power and submarine fundamentals before reporting to my first boat, the USS San Juan, where I served as a junior officer for three years and held a variety of engineering and operations roles. Most recently, I taught submarine tactics at the Navy’s Submarine Training Facility in San Diego.

Tyler Moncrief: I spent five years enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school, from 2014 to 2019. The first half of my enlistment was spent conducting security operations for nuclear weapons domestically and eventually leading security teams. During the second half of my enlistment, I helped manage the headquarters and support functions for an infantry battalion whose members were largely deployed. Post-Marine Corps, I earned my bachelor’s degree in management and went on to build and run the military recruiting function at AutoZone, to help veterans transition into new careers across the company.

Kevin Miguel: I enlisted in the Army in February 2018. After completing One Station Unit Training, Airborne School, and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, I earned an assignment to the 75th Ranger Regiment. I got the opportunity to deploy to Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Afghanistan with my Ranger battalion. After completing my active-duty service, I transitioned to the National Guard and was assigned to 217th Ordnance Company.

Craig Cowell: After growing up as a military brat, I followed in my father’s footsteps and joined the U.S. Army. I commissioned from West Point in 2013 and served for 11 years in Army Aviation, specializing in attack and reconnaissance with the AH-64D/E Apache helicopter. During my career, I served in South Korea, Germany, Greece, Poland, and Japan while leading pilots and crew chiefs, training aviation attack operations, and making risk-mitigated decisions for my units. Along the way, I learned to be a humble but fast learner and to understand my role, influence, and responsibility as a young professional operating inside a large, complex organization.

How has your time in the military shaped your experience at SOM?

Condon: My submarine experience provided me with a fantastic baseline for understanding organizations and decision-making structures. This has been especially helpful when discussing some of the complex business decisions leaders were presented with in cases that we study. I often find that considering how the submarine force would approach a given problem can help me find unique insights when studying organizations and leaders.

Miguel: The third stanza of the Ranger Creed states, “I will shoulder more than my share of the task, whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.” In the Army, that likely meant carrying extra ammo or volunteering for details. At SOM, that means reserving the room, setting up the PowerPoint presentation, taking club leadership roles, volunteering to help with the professional clubs. Basically, it means doing everything possible for your team and broader community to succeed.

Where did you spend your summer internship, and how did your military experience help you?

Moncrief: This summer, I worked for an SOM alum and fellow veteran who is doing entrepreneurship through acquisition, assisting him and his business partner search for their next acquisition. I had very minimal background knowledge in the ETA space at the start of the summer and wasn’t sure how good the fit would be, but I ended up having a very successful summer there and finding two businesses that we made an offer on. My time in the Marine Corps taught me how to be adaptable and find a way to accomplish the mission regardless of the circumstances; I believe that mindset was key to my success over the summer.

Cowell: I spent my summer internship working in real estate private equity at a start-up called Enverra Real Estate Partners in Atlanta, Georgia, where I was responsible for due diligence, underwriting, and supporting investment decisions for a $40 million Class A office property. The military prepared me to synthesize large amounts of information quickly and communicate clearly to the senior decision-makers. The leaders of the company knew that I could step into responsibility early and add value right away. They certainly took a chance on me, but I understood their priorities and did my best to complete tasks to free up their valuable time to take on even bigger problems.

What are you looking forward to the most during your last year at SOM?

Condon: One thing I am really looking forward to is the International Experience course. I’m planning on going to Norway, and am really excited to learn more about the culture and business environment!

Moncrief: Honestly, just getting more involved inside and outside of the classroom. I’m an introvert at heart and tried not to overcommit during my first year as I got my bearings. Now, I’ve gotten into the rhythm of being a student again, and I’m really looking forward to diving into more of what the SOM community has to offer.

Miguel: I’m stoked for all the traveling! I started the year in California, went to Spain and France in March for my International Experience, spent the summer in Austin, and went to São Paulo in October for Global Network Week. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next few months take me.

Cowell: After completing the first year of school, I feel much more confident in the direction I am taking in my career, which allows me to step into more mentorship roles and give back to my community. I am particularly excited to share my story during the student-led Veterans Voices event, hopefully to inspire and provide a different perspective for those from a non-military background. Finally, one of my professional goals this year is to make meaningful progress with the Housing Connecticut Consortium, where I’m working within a cross-disciplinary team supporting a multifamily affordable housing development in Bridgeport, Connecticut.