Who I am - words that describe me:

1. Patriotic - I currently serve in the Marine Corps Reserve. I was raised with a love for this country and am proud of the opportunity to serve my nation. In my family, my father and middle brother both served in the Air Force, and my youngest brother served in the Army.

2. Public Servant - I have worked to make my country a better place by serving in the military, serving on staff of the first Base Realignment and Closure Commission in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and serving as a congressional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives to the Committee on Science.

3. Adventurous - I seek new challenges and experiences that force me to confront my fears and overcome them.

My personal challenges:
I believe all three Challenge Project themes (Embrace challenge, Include physical activity and exercise in your lifestyle, and Pursue lifelong learning) were incorporated in my experiences in Desert Storm. As the operations officer of a Force Reconnaissance Unit, I had the challenge of insuring that my Marines were properly equipped, trained and ready for war. As an officer, I was expected to demonstrate both physical and mental toughness. Finally, I had to study my opponent's tactics, learn the capabilities of our allied systems, and apply that information to improve the combat readiness of our unit.

My career challenges:
As congressional staff member, one must constantly be learning the new developments in different subject areas. I had to comprehend these developments and determine what impact they would have on current policy. Looking for ways to make improvements in federal science policy was a continual responsibility. The themes of embracing challenge and lifelong learning are essential qualities in working within the congress.

My career:
Most of my careers have been those as a public servant. For the past nine years I have worked as a professional staff member on the Committee on Science, U.S. House of Representatives, overseeing different civilian research and development policy subject areas such as the Internet, Science Funding, and Math and Science Education. I drafted legislation, organized congressional hearings, and served as a representative from the congress to the science community. Previous to that position, I served for the Secretary of Defense on the first Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 1988. The Commission made recommendations on military base re-structuring. Before joining the Commission, I served as vice president of a small beverage distributorship and was active in local politics. Prior to my career in the business world, I served three years on active duty as a commissioned officer with the Marine Corps and today am a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Likes/Dislikes about career:
In my career, I have had the opportunity to meet new people, serve with extremely talented and dedicated individuals, and feel my efforts have made a difference in improving our country. If I could change one thing, I would spend more time educating people on how decisions made on Capitol Hill impact their everyday lives.

Influences:
The most influential person in my life was my father, Stuart Roosa. He was an Apollo 14 astronaut, an Air Force fighter pilot, and an avid outdoorsman. Growing up in an extremely small town in Oklahoma, he demonstrated to me that following your dreams can literally "take you to the moon." He taught me to be adventurous, to pursue my own dreams, and to respect God and nature. Regretfully, my father passed away in 1994, and I miss him very much.

Future goals:
I would like to publish a novel. It would be exciting to take one of the stories I have in my imagination, put it on paper, and see it come to life in print.

My thoughts about space exploration:
Space exploration has played an important role in my family history. Having grown up with many of the astronauts and their families, I have a true sense of the dedication and sacrifices they made for the space program. Furthermore, many of the everyday aspects of our everyday lives (computers, medicine, communications, and new technologies) were improved or revolutionized because of the space program. Lastly I am interested in space exploration because of the sense of adventure into the unknown and to improve our knowledge of our universe.

Personal information:
My hobbies include photography, snow and water skiing, softball, SCUBA diving, and parachuting. I love camping, white water rafting and fishing.

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• September 28, 1998