It’s been a tradition in my family to serve our community and our country for many generations to ensure freedom and liberty for the United States of America and her people. From my WWII ancestors and my Vietnam vet relatives to my own service in Bosnia, Kuwait, and Iraq during Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, the Harshaws have not ceased to serve this country.

I started serving early in life. At age 14, I worked in restaurants as a dishwasher. Over time, I became a chef apprentice under three different chefs and later went on to manage several restaurants where I specialized in location improvement, retraining, and improving certification scoring.

At 16, I joined my local fire company as an orange shield probationary member until I became of age and met the requirements to attend the fire academy. I earned my firefighter black shield from Governor Christine Todd Whitman. During that time, I also earned my way to the state police first responder hazmat team as an operator.

Building upon the foundation of service I established in my community, my commitment to serving others extended to a broader stage as I joined the United States Navy. My military service was varied and rewarding, offering the chance to collaborate with some of the finest individuals in the United States. My assignments took me to diverse locations such as Odesa, Ukraine, various sands and ports across Africa, and the shores of South America. I worked with foreign counterparts and competed in sports, including soccer, against teams from various military countries. During my service in the U.S. Navy, I was stationed on two ships, visited numerous countries, and achieved many objectives. Like many other Americans, I returned to the United States after the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to serve in the Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit (MIUWU). Ultimately, my deployment to the Middle East allowed me to serve our nation once more.

During my service, I diversified my training, studying business law, international business law, maritime law, and various engineering subjects including lab chemistry, water, oil, and fuels. Before leaving the service, I met the woman who would become my wife, and we married at the historic Fort Dix Chapel in 2007.