Wes O'Donnell

William Wesley O’Donnell (born August 26, 1977) is an American author, filmmaker, TED speaker, U.S. military veteran and veteran’s advocate. He is the author of three books and served in both the United States Army and the United States Air Force.
== Early life and education ==
O’Donnell was born in Dallas, Texas, United States and attended Marcus High School where he participated in AFJROTC. After graduating in 1996, O’Donnell enlisted in the U.S. Army serving as an infantryman in Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
O’Donnell separated from the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge in January of 2001 and attended the University of North Texas Police Academy. After graduation, O’Donnell became a peace officer with a certification through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.
In November of 2003, O’Donnell enlisted in the United States Air Force as a surveillance radar journeyman where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant in the 552nd Maintenance Group and separated with an honorable discharge in November of 2007.
While serving on active duty, O’Donnell participated in Operation Desert Thunder and Joint Interagency Task Force South. While serving, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations."Class of 2008" (PDF). American Military University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2019. He also earned a Master’s in Business Administration from American Military University in 2011.
== Career ==
After separating from the military in 2007, O’Donnell joined the German multinational conglomerate company Siemens as a biomedical engineer. Leaving Siemens in 2011, O’Donnell started his own company in Dallas, Texas called MD-Advantages as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that manufactured modular medical carts. O’Donnell simultaneously started the eCommerce store Modern Workspace and used the drop-shipping model to earn income while building his primary business.
After securing a provisional patent on his modular medical cart, O’Donnell sold his design for an undisclosed sum of money.
In January of 2013, O’Donnell founded the veteran-focused media company Warrior Lodge and began giving speeches on his success in business. In 2014, he would write his first book, Rise: The Veterans Field Manual for Starting Your Own Business to assist other veterans interested in becoming entrepreneurs. In 2015, O'Donnell was quoted as saying "Entrepreneurship is like jumping out of an airplane and assembling your parachute on the way down."
In 2014, O’Donnell moved from Texas to Michigan to teach as a professor of business analytics and marketing at Baker College in Muskegon, Michigan. After moving to Michigan, O'Donnell wrote the book A Cowboy Without a Coat.
As a speaker, O’Donnell has spoken at the U.S. Air Force Academy alongside Simon Sinek, TEDx and 28 corporate clients.
O'Donnell's great uncle was the Hollywood distributor and philanthropist R.J. O’Donnell. O'Donnell is currently working on a documentary called Cry Havoc that examines how the Vietnam Veterans became the face of an unpopular war.
O’Donnell is currently a writer and columnist for InCyberDefense Magazine, Soldier of Fortune Magazine, War is Boring, OneZero, Gen and has been featured in Bustle and Fatherly.
O'Donnell is married and has three children.
== Books ==
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== Military Awards and Decorations ==
* Army Achievement Medal
* Army Good Conduct Medal
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
* Army Service Ribbon
* Expert Badge - M-16 Rifle
* National Defense Service Medal
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Distinguished Graduate - Airman Leadership School
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
== Speech ==
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== References ==
Category:American writers