Getting to Known You: Aaron Nightingale, Partner & Head of Product
On November 11, 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the first commemoration of Armistice Day, also known as Veterans Day, to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. According to the U.S. Census there are roughly 18 million Americans, or about 7 percent of the adult population, who were veterans. Known is honored and lucky to have Aaron Nightingale, who served in the Marines and has brought his skills as a Partner in our Science practice.
We sat down with Aaron to learn more about his service, lessons learned and how we can better support our veterans.
How and where did you serve your country?
I enlisted in the US Marine Corps reserves when I was 17 and served in Cincinnati, Ohio for eight years. I did my bootcamp, combat and MOS (military occupation specialty) training in Camp Lejeune, NC, Camp Geiger, NC, and Twentynine Palms, CA, respectively. I was a transition switchboard operator, which is a fancy way of saying I was the guy who set up telephones on base.
What made you feel a sense of duty to serve?
I often joke that I enlisted just to escape the six sisters I grew up with (especially when I was 17!). Kidding aside, I had two grandfathers who served and I always respected my friends who had gone into the service. And during my senior year, there was a Marine Corps recruiter that came to my high school and offered a new kind of challenge that resonated with me at that moment. I remember him saying that the USMC is the only branch that you can train in and have those skills be transferable to any other branch without having to re-train. That, plus all the other benefits, sold me and I signed up the next day!
I followed up my service by attending Miami University and earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration to kickstart my current career.
The biggest lesson I learned during my time in the Marine Corps was to improvise, adapt and overcome. Make do with what you have, get creative and don’t complain.
What are lessons you learned in service that you apply to your job today?
The biggest lesson I learned during my time in the Marine Corps was to improvise, adapt and overcome. Make do with what you have, get creative and don’t complain. For example, we had some equipment that was probably worse than any other branches. If another branch has a scope on their rifle while all you have is an iron sight, where you can’t zoom in on a target, you have to figure out how to achieve proficiency with what you have, be it learning new stabilization techniques, training for longer periods of time, shooting from further distances, or something else. This is something that can be applied to the real world where you might not have the right resources but with creativity and the right frame of mind, you can always find a solution.
What was the most rewarding part of your service experience?
Hands down, for me it was the people. The men and women that I met and the bond we were able to build in such a short amount of time is a difficult thing to replicate. I would also be lying if I didn’t say that to be part of an elite military unit brought a sense of accomplishment. I am rewarded by the fact that I did it, I went through it and made it out on the other end. To be pushed in a new way and learn when to speak up and when to listen has been a great learning experience.
What does Veterans Day mean to you?
For me it is a day to memorialize those who fought and didn’t make it back. To honor their sacrifice that they made and remember what they gave to this country. It’s also a day for me to pause and re-connect with those who I served with and those who did make it back. I like to check-in and see how they are doing, how their families are, share stories and memories and overall keep the connections alive.
How can we better help honor the sacrifice you and fellow service members make?
First, having the conversation about what it means to someone who has served or is in the service is an amazing way to get to know more about them. Talk to someone who served. Build a connection.
Building connections is a beautiful place to start and concurrently, November also is the month where we focus on men’s health through the Movember campaign which I have been actively participating in for 10 years. One of the biggest things they are trying to combat is suicide. ⅘ suicides in the US are men of which many are veterans. There was a staggering statistic that I read. In 2021, it was reported that over the last 20 years since 9/11, just over 30,000 service members, died by suicide, compared to just over 7,000 service members who died in combat.
One of the biggest benefits that programs like Movember aims to do is address the importance of building connections. And that to me, is the key. We can honor those who have served and are serving to make them feel part of a community and make sure they stick around to tell their stories.
What advice would you give to fellow veterans who are looking to build a career post duty?
I’ve spoken to many friends who, after leaving the service, have felt they could only work in a similar industry or space to the military. My advice to them is if they have interest in another field, just apply! Lean into the learned discipline and strong leadership traits the military teaches. Show up. Be present. Listen to your team. Develop your own POV. Take action. These traits will build trust in your ability to execute and build a culture that will almost certainly stand out in any industry.
What I would also recommend is to perhaps tone down the notion that it’s always better to blindly follow orders and work within your chain of command. Ask questions to get to know why — you must understand the mission in order to lead it. Think of your organization as flat and listen to all voices around you. Diversity of perspective yields the best solutions.
What would you like to be known for?
I’d like to be known for being a good brother, father and generally a man of integrity. Similar to my advice to other veterans, this means showing up, being present, listening, supporting, and ultimately maintaining a 1:1, say:do ratio.
Thanks, Aaron. I really enjoyed getting to know a lot more about your experience and how it has shaped who you are today. Thank you for your honorable service.
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