He started at Middle Tennessee State University in the ROTC program, studying biology and running track on a scholarship, which helped pay for his education. Andre was commissioned as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and served in this career field for 11 years before moving into the Army Acquisition Corps and Weapons Systems Acquisitions for the last 15 years of his career. He served during the war in Afghanistan, where he provided much-needed munitions and weapons for the soldiers. Additionally, he worked with NATO partners in the early years of the war to ensure US soldiers had sufficient munitions to sustain themselves until the US was able to ramp up its production to meet the needs of our soldiers. He attended the Army War College from 2005-2006 and feels it gave him a better understanding of how to be a more effective strategic leader. After Andre’s retirement, he worked as a government support contractor for 18 months at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in MD, then in 2011 became a DOD civilian going back to the Army working in Weapons Systems Acquisitions in the chemical and biological area. He officially retired in 2022.

Andre and his wife, Joan, have been married for 14 years, he has three children from a previous marriage and two grandsons. He was diagnosed with PKD at the age of 40 and began to have significant medical challenges in 2018. Testing showed his kidneys were failing and in 2021, he started dialysis. Andre is used to being active, he is a sports enthusiast and enjoys an occasional chess game. Andre volunteered with the Army’s ROCKS Community Outreach Program in 1999 and supported its tutoring program for the youth attending the local Boys and Girls Club!