NATE SELF

Nate Self is a native of China Spring, Texas, former U.S. Army officer and author. Self graduated from West Point in 1998. After becoming an Infantry officer he deployed to Kosovo and was then selected to serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment. As a platoon leader in the Rangers, he deployed to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 as part of a Special Operations task force with a mission to kill or capture Taliban and al-Qaeda's top leaders. Self commanded a Quick Reaction Force to rescue a missing Navy SEAL during the Battle of Takur Ghar mountain. For his actions during the battle he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and a Purple Heart and was invited to attend the 2003 State of the Union Address. Following a tour in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division, where he wrote and directed daily operations and trained Iraqi Security Forces, Nate commanded a rifle company before leaving the Army in 2004. His story was featured on the front page of the "Wall Street Journal," on NBC's "Dateline," and in other books. He has been celebrated and examined as a model of exemplary leadership both in combat and in civilian life. Nate lives in Texas with his wife and their four children.