Following graduation from New Mexico Military Institute in 1982 and while attending UCLA, he served in the California National Guard. His first active duty assignment was with the 3-47 Infantry at Fort Lewis, WA, when his unit was assigned to the Multinational Force and Observes in Sinai, Egypt from April to October, 1988. His next duty station was with the Big Red One, 1-16 Infantry Regiment, Panzer Kasern, in Boeblinging, Germany. He became the Commander of D Company and deployed to the first Gulf War. Upon his return he was assigned to the 3-325 Airborne Battalion Combat Team, at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy and was immediately sent to Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq. He later became Company Commander of CSC, and organized the 49th anniversary of D-Day, and parachuted, with 60 other soldiers, into St. Mere-Eglise, Normandy. During his five years in Europe, he trained in many nations with NATO and Allied soldiers, travelling for the Army. When he returned to the US in 1994, he worked at Concepts Analysis in Bethesda, MD, and earned a Master of Science Degree at George Mason University, VA. His last assignment was as S4 at HDQ, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Div, Camp Hovey, Korea. He resigned, and was Honorably Discharged, from the Army as a Major in February, 1997. His military accomplishments include completing the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle Commander Course, and Combined Arms and Services Staff School. He earned the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Paratrooper Badge, The Air Assault Badge, the Ranger Tab, Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation Award, along with the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and numerous service medals and ribbons. Following his military service, he was a District Manager with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2008.

He was survived by his wife; his parents; six siblings; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives. One of his cousins, SGT Dennis Lee Sellen Jr, was killed in Iraq in 2007.