Building a school in Afghanistan isn't something you see on most resumes. But for geospatial analyst Michael Rogers, doing so was part of his tour of duty as a Marine. Mike helped construct a gender-neutral school in the heart of the country, where an estimated two-thirds of girls still go uneducated. Under Taliban rule, girls were barred from obtaining an education—but even with school construction, and unwavering optimism from troops on the ground, the shift to get young women into classrooms is still fragile and often met with discrimination.
After four combat tours, which took Mike to all corners of the globe, he brought his spirit of passionate service—and the same steadfast optimism he felt when constructing the school—to Booz Allen. Today, in addition to his client work with the Air Force, Mike teams up with organizations in his community—the Alzheimer's Association, Toys for Tots, Sacramento Tree Foundation, Bear River Cleanup, to name a few—to organize volunteer service events for his colleagues at Northern California's Beale Air Force Base. Like Mike, many within this community are fellow veterans. Currently, Mike is organizing a Salute Military golf tournament to support veterans with disabilities. Through his generosity and empathy, Mike's penchant for building communities empowers others to do the same.
“I try my best to give back to those in need because I know what it's like to struggle; I didn't grow up with a lot of money,” says Mike. “From my experience in the military, I also learned to never leave anyone behind; we're all in this together. I bring that ethos to my work at Booz Allen and to the work that I do in the community.”
In between volunteering, Mike is also dedicated to mentorship and loves to travel, which he did extensively during his time in the military. “I've traveled to more than 30 countries and 48 states. After transitioning out of the military, I continue to travel and plan to visit the two remaining states—Washington and Wyoming.”
Mike was initially attracted to Booz Allen because the job enabled him to continue serving his country through client work while expanding his knowledge and skills.
“I joined a learning circle and participated in leadership courses offered through the firm. I try to impart what I learn to new hires by serving as an onboarding mentor. I'm also empowered by my leadership team, who gives me full support to coordinate volunteer projects in our community,” says Mike.
