Matthew Burch

The Strategic Veteran

Cybersecurity after military service: Air Force veteran-turned-tech-entrepreneur Matthew Burch shares his journey from drone operations to founding Loggerhead Dynamics. In this inspiring episode, we delve into the concept of ruthless adaptability, the process of transitioning identities, and why mastering reinvention is crucial for veterans.

🎖️🇺🇸 Guest Introduction:

Matthew Burch served 23+ years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Master Sergeant. His roles ranged from aircraft mechanic to medical admin and MQ-9 Reaper drone sensor operator. With deployments across Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, and the Pacific, Matthew developed unmatched adaptability and a firm belief: the military is a contract, not an identity. Post-service, he broke into tech, drove innovation in mission software development, and is now the founder of Loggerhead Dynamics.

He joins host Adam Peters to discuss:

• Adapting across military careers

• Launching a cybersecurity business

• Why detaching your identity from your job is essential

• Viewing military service as a contract, not a calling

• High-demand tech paths for veterans

📌 Chapter Breakdown:

0:00 - Intro & Matthew Burch’s Background

2:05 - Growing up in Michigan & Joining the Air Force

6:28 - First Role as Aircraft Mechanic

8:57 - Retraining into Medical Admin

11:48 - Evolving into Sensor Operator on MQ-9 Reaper

14:45 - Flying for JSOC and Special Ops

18:20 - Realizing the Military is Only a Contract

22:12 - Early Childhood Trauma & Mentors

27:48 - OSS Lessons & Skill Extraction

31:05 - Preparing for Post-Military Career Early

35:38 - Transition to CIA-targeting Software Development

40:45 - Moving into Tech Entrepreneurship

44:12 - Business Shift to Cybersecurity

49:10 - Why Cybersecurity is Exploding Now

53:05 - Government IT Lags Behind

57:22 - AI, Automation, and Veteran Value

1:02:08 - The Cost of Moral Injury from Deployment

1:12:14 - Manifestation, Delusion & Owning Your Future

1:16:00 - Final Messages for Veterans

1:18:00 - Where to Find Matthew Birch

🔑 Key Discussion Points:

• Leveraging 3 major retrainings in the Air Force to prime for transition

• Insights from high-stakes drone operations with JSOC

• How personal loss shaped Matthew’s anti-fragile mindset

• Affirming that military training equips you for any civilian future

• The rise of cybersecurity as a viable, scalable career for veterans

• Taking ownership post-transition: mindset, entrepreneurship, and accountability

🎖️ Military Experience Highlights:

- Branch: U.S. Air Force

- Final Rank: Master Sergeant

- Roles: Aircraft Mechanic, Medical Admin, MQ-9 Reaper Sensor Operator

- Special Assignments: Instructor for Reaper Drones, JSOC Operations

- Deployments: Afghanistan, Iraq, Pacific, Africa, Bosnia

💼 Civilian Impact & Expertise:

- Founder, Loggerhead Dynamics (Cybersecurity & Managed Tech Firm)

- Former developer for Department of Defense targeting software

- Proven track record in client-side cybersecurity and IT roles

- Community: Offers free cybersecurity education for seniors in Florida

#VeteranEntrepreneur #CybersecurityCareers #MilitaryTransition #AdaptAndOvercome #AIandTech