A Marine Corps veteran, Mike Gallagher served seven years on active duty as a Human Intelligence/Counterintelligence Officer and Regional Affairs Officer for the Middle East and North Africa. Earning the rank of Captain, he deployed twice to Iraq as a commander of intelligence teams. He also served as the lead Republican staffer for the Middle East, North Africa, and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He currently works in the private sector as the Senior Global Market Strategist at an energy and supply chain management company.