Serving in the National Guard for 12 years, Michael Goette had many different roles. During two deployments, he was in transportation, trained as a gunner, a communications specialist and was a logistics coordinator. After his second deployment, he worked full time as a recruiter for the Minnesota Army National Guard in Rosemount. One of the perks of serving in the Guard is the educational benefits that have helped Mike pursue a bachelor’s degree he’s expecting to complete in Spring 2024. He continued to serve because of his passion for recruiting and developed leadership skills along with sales expertise while making deep connections with fellow service members.

First Deployment

Prior to his first deployment, Mike trained for two years as a gunner on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). After completing his training, he spent a year on Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The level of poverty was a culture shock and taught him not to take anything for granted. He realizes how lucky we are in the United States to live in freedom and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

There was a critical moment where Mike had to rely on his training and use escalation of force to protect his convoy. As a gunner and radio operator, he discovered a major – and dangerous – defect in the DUKE system. DUKE is a vehicle-mounted electronic device that emits electromagnetic waves that neutralize or disrupt remote-controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIED). It also jams the radio signals so the enemy cannot track their movements. One day, Mike’s unit was outside the wire on a mission when he saw someone talking on a cell phone. He thought, “How is this person having a full-blown conversation when the signals should be jammed?” Mike raised the issue to the engineers on base, who investigated and resolved the problem. Catching this flaw ultimately saved lives.

Being in that type of environment taught him the value of teamwork. You must be able to trust that the person on each side of you does their job so everybody can make it home safely.

Second Deployment

In 2015, Mike went to Kuwait, which was a very different experience, as you might guess. He volunteered to join a unit that was deployed over there and served as their transportation squad leader. One of the lessons Mike learned from the Kuwait deployment was that the saying, “Work Smarter Not Harder” is universal, yet it is not universally applied. During this deployment, his section had a lot of “down time”. Mike allowed his team to have time off when they were not needed, which made sense. Highlights of this tour were when they played hockey against the Kuwaiti National Team and the day they worked out with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Recruiting – or Another Name for Sales

For about six years, Mike served on full-time active duty as a recruiter for the National Guard, in Rosemount, MN, which served then as the home of the Red Bulls. He earned the title of the top Recruiter in MN and a Top 10 recruiter nationally for his work and brought over 150 people into the service. Mike earned an Army Achievement medal, six Army Accommodation Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal before pursuing a business career outside the Army in 2022.

It was a high-pressure sales job – Mike became a skilled presenter and communicator, honed his persuasion skills and learned how to “close” the prospect. It was a good fit for his personality, and he found it easy to describe his experiences as a soldier to families. His supervisor there saw his potential and encouraged him to look into a sales career in the construction industry.

Transition From Military to Civilian Life

After World War II many people who served in the military came home and started businesses according to Entrepreneur.com. At that time, veterans could use the GI bill for funding in the form of low interest loans. Since World War II, military veterans have continuously innovated and created enduring businesses like no other group in America. Veterans created household brands like Nike, FedEx and GoDaddy.

Slate.com reported that half of WWII veterans started businesses, but today that number is less than five percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 162,000 veteran-owned businesses were created between 2001 and 2016.

Even though it’s not that common, it was a natural transition and the next step in Mike’s career. He likes what he calls, “the grind and hustle” of it. He set up an S Corporation and works as an independent contractor for Ashco Exteriors, a roofing company that specializes in residential storm damage and insurance restoration work. Mike’s philosophy is, “I’ve always been inspired to help others; there is no better feeling than helping a family in need after a storm.” Mike has been successful and credits the skills he learned in the military that give him an advantage in this industry. The most important thing to him? Being Trustworthy.