Better Men Better World Search

Eric Greitens was born and raised in Missouri, and went on to become a Rhodes and Truman Scholar. He earned a Ph.D. in 2000 from the University of Oxford, where his doctoral thesis, Children First, investigated how international humanitarian organizations can best serve war-affected children. He continues to study and teach public service as a Senior Fellow at the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri and in the MBA Program at the Olin School of Business at Washington University. As a humanitarian volunteer, documentary photographer, and researcher, Eric worked in Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, the Gaza Strip, Croatia, and Bolivia. Eric became a Navy SEAL in 2001, and has deployed four times during the Global War on Terrorism. He has earned 17 military awards, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. In 2005, Eric was appointed by the President to serve as a White House Fellow, which is considered America?s most prestigious fellowship for leadership and public service.

But Eric is more than a list of accomplishments on a resume. He dedicates his life to serving and helping others serve. After returning from a deployment to Iraq in 2007, Eric donated his combat pay to found a non-profit organization, The Mission Continues. The Mission Continues empowers wounded and disabled veterans to begin new lives as citizen leaders here at home. From May 2007 to May 2009, Eric contributed more than 2,750 volunteer hours as a volunteer Chairman and CEO, and the President of the United States personally presented Eric with the President's Volunteer Service Award in recognition of his inspiring national leadership working with wounded and disabled veterans.

If there are three words that I would use to describe Eric, it would be "true American hero." He is a living example of what it means to serve and give back. As CEO of The Mission Continues, he works relentlessly to ensure that every returning veteran lives a life of purpose, regardless of what injuries they may have sustained during their time in the military. To accomplish this, he leads by example and gets just as involved with service projects as those who volunteer with The Mission Continues. Additionally, he treats everyone he meets with the utmost respect, whether they are a volunteer or an intern, a board member or C-level staff. Eric inspires his team to work above and beyond what is asked of them, because he never hesitates to do the same. Motivation never fades with Eric, and the mission to serve wounded and disabled veterans grows stronger each day under his leadership and dedication to the cause.

With Eric, nothing is impossible, and he has done an incredible job instilling that mindset into everyone he meets. He makes an outstanding SEAL, supervisor, and role model. Eric is an inspiring leader who challenges each and every one of us to always act in service to others.