“We didn’t have a backup plan. We just made it work.”
That’s how DJ Husted describes his transition from the military to the energy world. And if you've ever worked a job where the margin for error was razor-thin, you’ll get it.
DJ served in the Marine Corps, but it was in the chaos of post-service life where things got real. He entered the oil and gas sector during the downturn, bouncing between projects that seemed to vanish overnight.
No stability. No safety net. Just hard-earned field knowledge and a will to keep going.
“You had guys who were great at their jobs getting laid off on a Friday. That was it. Gone. No fault of their own.”
He stuck it out. Learned the contracts. Learned the grid. Learned the politics, even when they didn’t make sense. And slowly, he worked his way into renewables.
Now he oversees more than 50 energy sites across Texas, including solar, wind, and battery storage. He’s not doing it from a cushy corporate office. He’s doing it from the ground, where the rubber meets the road.
What DJ’s Story Teaches Us
There’s a myth that you have to pick a side in energy. You’re either for renewables or for oil and gas. You’re either part of the future or part of the past.
DJ’s story blows that up.
He’s seen what fossil fuels gave this country and what happens when the market turns against you. He knows the energy transition can’t happen without real-world experience, and veterans bring that in spades.
“Veterans don’t just need jobs. We need impact. That’s what this industry offers.”
He also knows what’s at stake in rural America. These aren’t just counties on a map. They’re hometowns. And if the clean energy buildout doesn’t include local voices, including those with the oilfield in their blood, it won’t last.
The Podcast: Real Talk from the Field
In the first episode of the Project Vanguard Podcast, I sat down with DJ Husted to talk about:
The culture shift moving from oil & gas into renewable energy
Building a veteran workforce inside the energy industry
What local communities need to hear and what they don’t
How we balance growth, reliability, and real-world leadership
It’s not about slogans. It’s about what works.
Project Vanguard is about building something bigger than a podcast. We’re building a community, a cadre of veterans ready to lead the next chapter of American energy. Not as partisans. As industry professionals. As active citizens. As people who’ve been in the fight before.
If you believe your service to your country didn’t stop when you left the military, this is for you.
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