Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Stoddard.
Hi Chris, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I was born in South Texas but moved to Florida at a very young age. In 8th grade, I moved to Arizona, and after high school, I attended Arizona State University and received my Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2004. I was an engineer for a year in Phoneix before attending Officer Candidate School for the United States Marine Corps and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in 2005. After initial USMC officer training and flight training, I was stationed in North Carolina then California, flying the MV-22 Osprey and serving as a Forward Air Controller. I spent 11 years on active duty and deployed to Afghanistan, Romania, and Kuwait for 7 months each. In 2017, I left active duty and joined the Marine Corps Reserves. I went back to school to take real estate classes and became a real estate agent while also starting a commercial aviation career with SkyWest Airlines. In 2018 I started my non-profit, The Co-pilot Foundation, to provide mentorship and support for children that have lost a parent in the line of duty. I wanted to continue to serve my country, so in 2020, I ran for Congress, coming in 3rd in the primary election. In the summer of 2020, I became a real estate broker and started my own brokerage. That fall, I went to school again to become an Emergency Medical Technician. In January of 2021, I started my Master of Arts in Global Security, completing my degree in May of 2022. I also left SkyWest and started flying for American Airlines in September of 2021. In February of 2022, I was activated in the Marines and deployed to Germany for 4 months. I am currently flying for American Airlines, running my real estate brokerage, and serving in the USMC Reserves.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course, I had struggles along the way. One of the biggest was a dumb mistake I made while in Officer training for the Marine Corps. I was almost kicked out as a new Second Lieutenant, but I was given another opportunity, and I was required to complete our 6-month officer training, The Basic School, a second time. This was a huge setback for my career, but I completed the training and continued to flight school, ultimately leading to a successful Marine Corps Officer career.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Freedom Realty?
Creating my own Real Estate brokerage was a big step for my professional career. The biggest reason I got into real estate was to help veterans realize their dream of home ownership and educate them on their home-buying VA benefits. Before COVID, I performed free home-buying seminars for veterans a few times per month, which is something I would like to do again. I believe the 0% down VA home loan is one of the best benefits available to veterans, and I would like to educate every veteran on the benefits they receive.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I try to better myself daily. When I wake up every day, I practice my Spanish on Duolingo. I do not read much fiction; I pretty much only read non-fiction to make myself smarter on any given topic I am learning about. I like educating myself on both sides of any topic and making informed decisions. Some of my recent favorites are How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. I also enjoy listening to some of the guests on the Joe Rogan podcast.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chrisstoddard.com/
- Instagram: @chrisstoddard_usa
- Twitter: @stoddard_usa
- Other: thecopilotfoundation.org
