Maybe it’s that famous quote from Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” about wanting something so bad “all the universe conspires in helping you... achieve it.” Or maybe it’s what Ernest Hemingway told one of his children, “You make your own luck, Gig.”?Whatever the case, the universe came through or some form of luck was made.
?
I recently joined Assent Advisory Group – a “results driven” consulting firm based in Virginia and “dedicated to exceeding the standards while demonstrating a strong sense of urgency about achieving client goals.” Fellow Booz Allen Hamilton alumnus, Shalimar Brazier, co-founded AAG with Joe Monaco in 2017, so it’s fair to say we come from a similar consulting lineage.
?
Put the warfighter first! After advising the Navy at a strategic level for a better part of the last decade, I’m thrilled to return to my “deck-plate Navy” roots to directly support the warfighter through future operations planning at Navy Expeditionary Combat Forces Europe-Africa Task Force 68. I had previously worked with several leaders at 68. We hit it off right away, and I found their task force’s diverse mission areas, including explosive ordnance disposal, expeditionary construction, dive and salvage, and maritime security operations, to be fascinating and dangerous. These are the Sailors the Navy sends where ships cannot and where mere mortals wouldn’t dare. Diving down frigid, dark waters and disarming explosives, for example. Important work. So supporting this team full-time was a no brainer.
?
In short, this new gig checks all the boxes: supporting the warfighter directly, great consulting firm, fearless client, and we get to provide our kids some continuity.