Sam Brown was raised by his parents with an expectation that he would embody the values of duty and service to the nation. As the oldest of five children from a rural town, Sam knew that the military could provide him the opportunities to serve his country and further his education. The 9-11 terrorist attacks only reinforced his resolve to serve.

After graduating from the United States Military Academy (West Point), Sam completed training at the Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas as a brand- new Airborne & Ranger-qualified leader of troops. In 2008, he was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Only a few months into his deployment, he experienced the crucible of his life when his vehicle was struck by an IED blast that severely wounded him. Upon immediate evacuation from the battlefield, he began a long three-year journey of rehabilitation and recovery.

Sam was medically retired from the US Army as a Captain in September 2011, after more than five years of active duty service. He earned his MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Southern Methodist University. Sam and Amy live in Reno with their 3 children, where they started a small business that provides critical services to Veterans outside of the VA.