Eric Greitens has led a life marked by service and resilience. As a Rhodes Scholar, Greitens studied how international humanitarian organizations work with children in war zones. His first book, Strength and Compassion, featured his documentary photography work from Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, India, and Bolivia, and was featured at the International Photography Hall of Fame.
Greitens also served as a US Navy SEAL. Matriculating at the United States Navy's Officer Candidate School in 2001 and later graduating from Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL (BUD/S) training, Greitens rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve. His military career was distinguished by deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia, where he led a joint special operations task unit, a Mark V Special Operations Craft detachment, and an al-Qaeda targeting cell. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
