Joshua McDaniel served for nearly 20 years in both the United States Navy and the Air Force. McDaniel has a long and deep relationship with the military with several family members also serving in the Armed Forces.
McDaniel first joined the United States Navy and served for five years leaving the Navy as Petty Officer Second Class and specialized in Military Police as a Master at Arms Second Class. When he joined the Air Force in May 2005, his rank transferred over as a Staff Sargent. Years later McDaniel became an Education and Training Specialist and retired from the Armed Forces as an E-6 Tech Sargent.
From Washington state to Afghanistan and Virginia McDaniel’s career took him to several different parts of the World. McDaniel said with each country he visited he made sure to take a souvenir that best reflected that region’s culture. McDaniel says the trinkets are displayed in his home on a ‘World Wall’ along side glass vials of dirt from each place.
With the Air Force, McDaniel said he spent short periods of time in San Antonio at Lackland Air Force Base. He liked Texas and thought about returning to the Lone Star State after retiring. As fate would have it, his future wife, whom he met while doing part time work as an event security officer, is a native Houstonian and the two would end up settling their family in the Space City.
McDaniel says his work in the military was extremely rewarding. As an Education and Training Specialist McDaniel has had the opportunity to pass down the knowledge he’s gained through his career to the next generation of servicemen and servicewomen. Additionally, he said he has seen some of his trainees go on and have distinguished careers of their own, which makes him proud.
McDaniel will be honored Sunday evening as the Hero of the Game in for the Houston Dash match up against NJ/NY Gotham FC. McDaniel will be joined by his wife along with some of their children.
