Securing Energy, Securing America
In this installment of the Veterans in Energy series, meet the leaders turning experience into energy security.
Not every mission requires boots on the ground.
Some require maps, planning, and megawatts. Some require leading through complexity, turning national priorities into local action, and building systems that last.
In the clean energy transition, that’s where veterans shine.
This isn’t a highlight reel of solar panels and hard hats (though we love those). It’s a closer look at how veterans are applying leadership, real-world skills, and a sense of duty to one of the biggest national security challenges of our time: keeping America powered and in control.
Here are three voices from the field, showing what it looks like when service doesn’t stop, it just takes a new form.
⚡️ Shane Roche on Clean Energy as National Defense
“Energy is an instrumental need and is almost as important as food and water.”
Shane served five years in the Air Force. Today, he develops wind projects across the U.S. with Vestas.
For him, clean energy isn’t just about the environment, it’s about keeping the country strong and independent.
“One aspect of it is security and having energy independence in this nation will reduce our reliance on other nations but also just to meet the needs of the people.”
Why Shane’s story matters: He reminds us that energy is more than electricity, it’s the foundation of everything we protect.
⚡️ Iain Addelton on Batteries, Policy, and the Grid
“The more time you spend in energy industry, the more magic the grid actually is.”
After serving in the Air Force, Iain became a market analyst at LG Energy Solution Vertec, where he focuses on scaling battery storage and solving grid challenges most people don’t see, until the power goes out.
He sees the connection between smart policy, private innovation, and national strength and he believes veterans are built for that kind of work.
“We want to be a cutting-edge country, not just now, but well into the 21st century.”
Why Iain’s story matters: He’s helping America stay ahead and make sure the grid works for the people who count on it.
⚡️ Jared Cherni on Powering Rural Communities
“I was driving a $50 million ship and I was 22 years old and making decisions about how we could safely navigate the Bering Sea”
Jared served in the Coast Guard before moving into wind energy development. He grew up in Wyoming ranch country and knows how to speak the language of rural America.
His work helps landowners bring wind power to their property without giving up what they love.
“Wind is a cool resource, kind of the symbiosis with ranching… it allows those farmers and ranchers to still keep ranching, still keep farming, still have that rural lifestyle, but now they've got another income source for their operation.”
Why Jared’s story matters: He’s bridging the gap between clean power and rural independence, while helping those communities stay alive and thriving.
This Is What Leadership Looks Like Now
From development to data to rural land deals, these veterans are doing more than helping the energy industry grow, they’re shaping what it becomes.
They’ve served under pressure before. Now they’re doing it again. Only this time, it’s about keeping the grid strong and the country in control.
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Because these aren’t just energy stories.
They’re American stories.
And we need more of them.