Kevin wears many hats—err, helmets rather. A SWAT team member, sniper, law enforcement officer, founder of a non-profit, outdoor enthusiast, and a few other things we aren’t at liberty to tell you about — Kevin is not one to rest on his laurels. A man deeply committed to serving his country and community, he understands the idea of sacrificing for the greater good better than most, and takes every opportunity he can to improve the lives of those around him. His line of work requires an extremely high level of competence, focus, and an unyielding commitment to developing one’s skill set and capabilities—yet, when you talk to him, it becomes immediately clear that despite the high standards he holds himself to, Kevin’s work is truly the work of a man who cares for his country and his community deeply, and busts his ass because the safety and preservation of those things is his greatest priority.

We had the distinct privilege of talking with Kevin recently, and asked him about how he got into his line of work, how his non-profit, Operation 300 came to be, and how he continues to push his own boundaries and keep himself motivated. In true “Kevin Fashion” his only request was that we focus on Operation 300 more than himself. Did we mention the word "selfless?" We hope you enjoy learning about Kevin, and take some inspiration from the example he sets, just as we have. Enjoy!

LALO: When/how did you come to the conclusion that you wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement?
KK: I wish I had a poetic love story to tell, but the truth is, I don’t. I grew up playing cops and robbers but typically wasn’t on the ‘good guys’ team. At 18 years old, I would’ve laughed you out of the room if you told me where I would end up. At the time, I was a business major in college and I hated it. I wanted to serve my country but was too scared to disappoint my parents by pulling out of school. My best friend asked me to take a ride with him one day while he ran errands and the first stop was a Police Academy on the other side of town. As we pulled into the complex I asked what we were doing. To my surprise he replied “I’m submitting an application.” The facility housed a shooting range, driving pad, obstacle course and several classes of recruits which were quite obviously getting smoked by the Cadre. I couldn’t believe he was going to be shooting guns and driving cars while I was stuck studying for a degree I didn’t want. I submitted an application on the spot and a few weeks later, found myself calling my parents to update them on the change of plans. The rest is history.

LALO: What’s the most challenging aspect of your work? What’s the most rewarding/most enjoyable?
KK: Both the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of my job is the unpredictability. I haven’t worked a set schedule in over 7 years and most days schedule is usually figured out hours before we come in. It’s crazy and hectic at times but I love it. It’s the same quality that keeps it fun and fresh. I never know what I’m walking in to and it’s that unknown aspect that keeps most of us coming back for more.

LALO: What motivates you to get up and moving on the days that you don’t want to get out of bed?
KK: I work as part of a team and our work is bigger than any single member which means people depend on me. Every guy and every job matters. I’ve also made a commitment to the community I serve. If I stayed at home, I wouldn’t be keeping my end of the bargain. It’s the people I swore to protect and the people who stand at my side that keep me moving.

LALO: What made you want to serve?
KK: At 30 years old, I’ve come to realize my heart was built to serve others. Both at work and outside of it. Quite simply, I’m just happier that way. At 19 years old, I couldn’t ignore my calling any longer which left me with a single decision; serve my country abroad or serve my country here at home? I wanted to do both but felt like we have a lot of problems domestically and I wanted to affect change here where my friends and family live.

LALO: We hear that you’re a bit of a surfer; is that your preferred past time? How did you get into it?
KK: Haha, yes…it sounds like there is a leak at LALO Headquarters! Surfing is just part of life where I live. Being born and raised around the water I’ve probably spent more hours in a boat than in a car. I guess I just took to the ocean at a very young age and surfing came with the territory. It’s just one of the rare things in my life that truly drowns out the white noise. When I’m in the water, the world stops and my brain can truly let go of everything else. It’s something that allows me to live purely in the moment and I think that’s because the ocean has a funny way of humbling people and constantly reminding us that it doesn’t care about your timing or your problems. It can be very unforgiving and requires a certain level of focus and determination which is what draws me to it.

It also helps that I’ve got a lifetime of fond memories sharing waves with my brother and some of my closest friends. For me, surfing isn’t about technical turns or cranking out impressive combos, it’s all about getting away from the craziness and making memories with good people.



LALO: How did you come to the conclusion that SWAT was something that you wanted to pursue?
KK: Before submitting my first job application I knew I wanted to join a SWAT Team. Not because it was glamorous, but because it was a chance to serve in the worst environments possible. It was a chance to challenge myself and make a difference. The kind of difference that could change the course of a life and even preserve it.

I had a unique experience at a young age where I have a very distinct memory from my 6th grade year of schooling. I was made fun of in front of all my friends for walking with my butt out like a duck and it really affected me. For the next 6 months, I forcibly walked with my hips uncomfortably and very unnaturally forward until the awkward and unnatural feeling became normal. This was a revelation at a young age. I could control the outcome of my life and through meticulous positive training get desirable results. It has been a reflection point and reminder still to this day.

Compound that with the fact that at this stage in my life I have been educated enough to understand the professional Sniper community is filled with like-minded individuals. People who work to the point of being obsessive over their craft and even to the point of ridicule by others. It’s a place where men who are unflinchingly willing to sacrifice themselves and a comfortable life for the one rare opportunity to save another. It’s a place where failure isn’t an option. I was never interested in becoming a Sniper because it’s sexy… it isn’t. I have simply gotten to a point in my career where it would be reckless or just plain lazy to ignore what I’ve been built to do. I clearly recognize that I have many flaws, but I also have many talents and among them are the desire to be a warrior, an athlete, a strategist and a servant.

LALO: What’s it like working on a SWAT Team?
KK: It’s like working with a team full of men who are just a bunch of goof balls. You have to really be on your game around these guys because if you don’t they always have some crafty way of saying “we love you, but don’t take yourself too serious.” Let your guard down and you’re liable to catch a prank from somebody. There’s never a dull moment on the team.

No, in reality it’s amazing. I get to serve alongside men who are more than just friends or co-workers, they are family. It’s an environment which truly tempers the best of the best in this business and I feel fortunate for getting to be a part of that process. My team is filled with all different personality types from all different walks of life, but we all share one common goal and one common passion. To fight people who are prepared to do bad things and make sure each other go home safe.

LALO: For our followers that may be curious, what does it take to become a SWAT team member? What advice could you give to someone who wants to be SWAT someday?
KK: Determination and perseverance. I’ve watched guys come through all kinds of personal struggle and sacrifice to make it on the team. Everyone is different and life has some funny curve balls. If there is one thing that separates the men I work alongside from the pack, it’s their determination to succeed. To never quit and to always get better. I’ve watched guys fight through all kinds of adversity. From the one’s who were told they would never make it to the one’s who were told they were too old; men who lost best friends to this work and men who gave up extremely comfortable lives. The common thread amongst us is a will to succeed no matter what the cost. It’s a conscious awareness that you are not special and your circumstance is not unique. If you want to join a team, keep your eyes forward don’t accept defeat. Setbacks will come and go in life, but successful people find a way to make it work.

LALO: Tell us about your non-profit, Operation 300. How did that get started?
KK: Operation 300 was started to honor Special Operations Chief Aaron C. Vaughn (SEAL) who was killed August 6, 2011 when a Chinook helicopter carrying 30 American troops was shot down in Afghanistan. Aaron had just celebrated his 30th birthday and left behind a son who wasn’t yet 2 years old and a daughter, still a baby.

In the months following Aaron’s death, his sister Tara really struggled with who would do the adventurous things Aaron would have done with his children. This is where Operation 300 was birthed. We are a registered, not-for-profit 501c(3) which provides adventure camps for children who have lost their fathers as a result of military service. Our mission is to honor the families of the fallen by forging the heart of a warrior in their children.

We really just try to have a good time with kids. While they are with us, we take the kids fishing, sailing, trail riding, shooting and through a range of other activities. The camps are completely expense free to the families and in addition to flying the children to us from anywhere in the country, we also bring the moms too. Operation 300 is just an all around good group of people who have vowed to give back by serving families who have gave it all for our country.

LALO: How’d you come to hear about LALO? What do you appreciate about your LALOs?
KK: I was introduced to LALO through other people wearing them. They stood out and immediately grabbed my attention. It wasn’t long after that I was on the phone with your team working out the details to secure a set of Shadow Boots.

What I appreciate most about my LALOs is that they provide uncompromising support in some pretty rough conditions. The last thing I want to think about when I’m on an operation is my feet so having a shoe or boot that lets me focus on the rest of the mission is critical. My LALOs have performed flawlessly and much like the men I work with, the harder I push them, the better they perform.

Beyond the shoe, the team of men and women behind the product is amazing and having relationships with people like this has been awesome. I can’t tell you how much it means to know the people we commit to serving have our back as well.

LALO: You’re an incredibly busy guy; what do you do to ensure you stay in shape to meet the incredible and unpredictable demands of your job?
KK: No doubt I’m in the busiest season of my life to date and it can get a bit hectic if I let it. I think the key for me is to not make excuses. Sometimes the call comes in the final hour of my day and carries through the middle of the night. In those moments, I think you can take one of two roads. I can kick my heals up and say “today was a long one and I earned some much needed rest” or I can roll the sleeves up and get my workout in at 0200 hours because I’m not special and if I don’t, people who depend on me might suffer.

As far as the routine goes, I try to just keep it mixed up. I think the human body thrives most when you keep it confused so training for me ranges from running (which yes, I hate with a passion) to crossfit to laps in the pool. I try to focus on movements and training which applies to the real world so the emphasis for me is always on functional fitness with practical workouts. Going through shooting drills while my lungs are screaming for air or doing an endurance circuit in full kit are just a few of the things that keep my mind entertained while strength training.



LALO: When you get some down time, how do you prefer to spend it?
KK: Out of cell phone range and somewhere far from pavement. I love being out in the woods or in the water. Finding powder in Colorado’s Ten Mile Range, fishing off the Bahamas’ West End or hunting the backwoods of West Virginia are all things that get my blood pumping. It doesn’t take much to make me happy though, I’m a pretty simple guys with pretty simple needs.

LALO: What is your personal “secret to success?”
KK: Refusing to accept defeat. That’s different than refusing to accept failure. My brother taught me an important lesson early in life. “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent.” Failure will come, nobody is perfect. Winners look at those failures as training opportunities and turn them into lessons. Keep a big picture mentality and don’t consume yourself with a single stumble, reset and run it again.

LALO: If you could pass on one piece of advice, what would you say?
KK: Life is short and unexpected. Don’t waste it. Train hard and act on the things you are truly passionate about.

LALO: If you weren’t pursuing the career that you are today, what else do you think you would do instead?
KK: I could probably be a ski bum somewhere with stormy winters and good trout fishing but I can’t imagine not getting to serve my country in some capacity. If I wasn’t where I am, I’m sure I would find a home in the military.

LALO: If you could be remembered for one thing, what would you want that to be?
KK: I want to be the type of person who doesn’t work to make my presence known but instead makes my absence felt. I would hope people remember me as a guy who put others before himself and never had too many things on his schedule to stop and talk. I hope that my life is honoring to God and also to the people I love.

Learn more about Operation 300 >>