Petty Officer Second Class John Shriver

As the second child in a family of 12, Petty Officer Second Class John Shriver learned responsibility and the value of hard work early on. Serving for eight years in the Coast Guard Reserve after 9/11 allowed him to apply these lessons as a small boat coxswain and team leader in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. While in these positions of leadership, John actively mentored and developed the junior members of his boat crew and unit, ultimately allowing over a dozen individuals to become fully certified.

Hoping to deepen his understanding of the regions in which he served, John received his bachelor’s of arts in Islamic studies after returning from Iraq. He then put this knowledge to use serving as boat division intelligence petty officer.

Growing up in a small town, John never forgot the importance of community and the hardship many families face in rural America. Inspired to give back to the small town environment that shaped his youth, John is now pursuing his master’s of science at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Continuing his service in this new chapter, John plans to use his experience and education to empower the rural communities so many members of our Armed Forces originate from.