Out of all the field training exercises at CMC, Theo most loved running around the woods at Heart Bar Campground. Naturally, he found himself right at home during night land navigation at Ft. Benning during the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course (IBOLC). In fact, he enjoyed land navigation so much that he decided to check out the land navigation courses at Ranger School and in the Special Forces Selection “Star Course.” Later, he found out you don’t have to be tortured, army-style, to enjoy land nav, and he has found his way into several adventure races, running, and biking from point to point. In short, if there’s a compass course, a map, and some woods to wander in, you’ll probably find Theo there.
In high school, Theo found that he enjoyed his economics AP course. There was an unmistakable sense of superiority that accompanied being able to bat around phrases like “opportunity cost” and “comparative advantage.” That, and the fact that he wanted to attend a college that was a bit removed from home in Arizona, led him to consider CMC. During a campus visit, the weather, dining hall, and small school environment convinced him that CMC was the place to be. He thoroughly enjoyed the wilderness orientation as part of the WOA program: summer days spent canoeing through rapids, sleeping under the stars, and getting to know his new classmates. As his excitement grew, his nervousness decreased, and he was more certain than ever that there were at least a few new economic principles he could learn and use officiously in everyday conversation. Still, while he knew from the beginning that he wanted to be an Econ major, he also loved history. Considering that a desire to serve his country had led him to accept an ROTC scholarship, and Uncle Sam was footing the bill, the answer was simple: he chose a dual major.
At CMC he played with the Cougars Lacrosse Club (and loved the sport and the people!) but couldn’t justify paying for broken lacrosse sticks. However, as the sort of person who loved physical activity, but hated waking up early, he had found himself in a dilemma: you could only opt out on those early morning PT sessions if you had an official practice later in the day. Two of his fellow cadets, the Henderson twins, Cortland and Remington (Class of 2014), provided the answer. The track team always needed new athletes. When he asked the coach what event needed more athletes, Theo was pleased to learn he would be throwing the javelin. Considering his father immigrated from Sparta, Greece, he liked the idea that some of his ancestors were also pleased with his choice, even if his performance never passed the “mediocre” stage. There would be no Olympics for this Greek!
In his junior year, the cadet Battalion Commander, Tori Holtestaul ‘13, and program PMS, LTC Evan Wollen (retired), asked him to help those cadets who were having trouble passing the Army physical fitness test. Theo organized (read: lightly tortured) the group, but morale was high and physical performance improved. They even ordered and wore custom “Kings of Remedial” t-shirts. Theo is still unsure and refuses to elaborate on why his shirt came with the printed nickname “Harbinger.” Theo’s senior year found him enjoying life in the senior apartments as an RA, rooming with three other ROTC cadets, John Medin, Rolando Gutierrez, and Rebecca “Pony” Ciszewski all class of 2014.
Theo’s experience at the Ft. Lewis ROTC Summer Camp (JBLM) in the summer of his junior year was typical: two weeks of rain followed by two weeks of sun. The practical experience taught him that the Army might well be the right place for him. He scored high at summer camp and upon return to CMC was selected as the Battalion Commander of the Corps of Cadets. He graduated as a DMG (Distinguished Military Graduate), which allowed him to have his choice of branch. He chose Military Intelligence with the requirement of serving his first four years in a combat arms branch. Fortunately, there he chose the Infantry.
A few days after graduation in May 2014, Theo traveled to Ft. Benning, Georgia to attend the Infantry Basic Officers Leadership Course (IBOLC). While there were moments of culture shock, overall though, he enjoyed the infantry training and claims that the result was that he became a “moderately dangerous homeless person.”
Theo’s next major experience in April of 2015 was to attend one of the Army’s most rigorous training programs: Ranger School. Theo comments that the school taught him “how to suffer.” Ranger School was challenging, but there were some funny moments too. On one occasion in the Mountain phase, Theo was so tired that he dived headfirst into his sleeping bag when his turn came to get a little shuteye. However, awakening in the morning, he found he had rolled down a slope while still asleep and was all alone for a very disorienting minute. Ranger School was unforgettable and physically demanding. Theo found he was put to the test. He learned how far he and others could push themselves. He learned what his body was capable of, and while constant harassment created a lot of stress, he learned he could manage it. Sleep deprivation was a constant problem. There was one Ranger who actually fell asleep while firing a machine gun!
After graduating from Ranger School, Theo immediately progressed to the Airborne course in July of 2015. Theo describes this as “two weeks teaching you how to fall on your butt, followed by one week when you got to do what you were actually there to do.” Jump School was followed by a one-month Reconnaissance and Leadership Course (RSLC) requiring extensive off-road land navigation with full combat gear. The course was a great test of one’s confidence and how to solve problems alone.
After completing training in August 2015, Theo was assigned as a Rifle Platoon Leader in the 3rd Brigade of the 25thInfantry Division (the Tropic Lightning Division) in Hawaii. He inherited a platoon with low morale that had recently had both their platoon leader and platoon sergeant relieved. Thinking back on the experience, Theo is proud to have been able to help turn things around, working closely with his NCOs to boost morale and develop teamwork. Realizing that a leader cannot achieve success alone, Theo tried to demonstrate genuine care, provide realistic and (and sometimes fun) training exercises, and did his best to demonstrate his own commitment every day. Above all, he balanced the responsibility of his leadership position with empowering his NCOs and ensuring that he learned from their experience. Doom and gloom were no longer tolerated, and after 10 months, his platoon’s performance was rated the best in the Battalion during Live-Fire Exercises.
Theo’s next assignment was as the Dismounted Reconnaissance Platoon Leader in a sister Battalion, 3-4 CAV. Other than basic scouting tasks, his platoon’s training centered around specialty insertions and extractions including helocasting, where a team jumps from a helicopter into water. His unit also trained to conduct SPIES (Special Purpose Insertions), FRIES (Fast Rope Insertions), and rappelling from helicopters. Theo has fond memories of conducting training days on Bellows Beach in Hawaii. During this period, Theo’s first Company Commander encouraged him to apply for the 75th Ranger Regiment.
As part of the application process for the Ranger Assessment Selection Program, Theo’s Brigade Commander interviewed him. The officer’s first question was “What is my first name?” Theo responded with the officer’s first name. “WRONG,” the officer responded, “My first name is Colonel.” The second question didn’t go much better. The Colonel asked, “What is the first principle of leadership?” Theo was at a loss and sensed another trap. He responded with something he thought was appropriate. Again, the answer was, “WRONG.” Apparently, the Colonel had just circulated a paper citing eleven principles of leadership which Theo had not read. He thought he failed the interview but was pleased to see he was assigned to the Ranger Headquarters and invited to try out for the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP 2). After passing this selection, he arrived at Regimental Headquarters in 2017. Later, he had the chance to deploy to Afghanistan, where he served as the Deputy Chief of Operations.
As the “D-CHOPS,” Theo worked out of Bagram AFB, assisting in the tracking and coordination of raids and strikes. For the second half of the deployment, he had the opportunity to work from FOB Shank as a Liaison Officer to the Special Forces teams, assisting them in mission coordination and accompanying them on missions in central Afghanistan. Theo had enjoyed his experiences thus far with the Ranger Regiment, but seeing the types of missions the Green Beret teams trained for led him to apply for Special Forces selection. The idea of working on unconventional problem sets in a broader range of contexts (partner force military, peacetime training, etc.) appealed to him.
First, however, he returned to the Ranger Regiment at Ft. Benning in February 2018 to begin his next assignment, which was as close as he ever got to being a Military Intelligence Officer. Theo was the Platoon Leader for the new Targets Platoon in the recently created Regimental Military Intelligence Battalion. The Targets platoon was composed of a combination of geospatial intelligence and all-source analysts.
Theo proceeded from there to Special Forces selection, a one-month combination of grueling physical and mental testing, 4-5 days of solo land navigation covering long distances each day, and team activities. During team week, one of his groups was the very last to make it back to the compound after losing about half the group due to heat casualties. They had fifteen minutes to sit and rest before the next day began. Trials and tribulations aplenty, but Theo passed selection, allowing him to begin the roughly two-year long qualification course colloquially known as the “Q-Course.’
In the Q-Course, Theo had the opportunity to learn new skills and pass the tests that would earn him the right to wear a Green Beret. Perhaps the most common thread among all these tests was—you guessed it—extensive land navigation. Other highlights included SERE School (Survival Evasion, Resistance, and Escape - eating berries and generally being slapped around), the massive Robin Sage training exercise - trying to overthrow the shadow government of North Carolina, and six months of Russian language school.
At the end of Q Course, Theo was deployed to Germany in October of 2020, where he was assigned as a team leader in C Company, 1-10th SFG(A). He was assigned to a military free fall team, but before he got to do any skydiving, it was off to the Arctic Circle. About two months after arriving, Theo went to northern Sweden for a winter warfare training course, and one of the more memorable experiences of his life. Lessons taken from that trip include “don’t forget your mittens.” After that, he headed to Arizona for a month of military free fall training, followed by another month practicing free fall exercises with his team.
Together with his team, Theo participated in a variety of training missions throughout Europe, including in Greece, Cyprus, Kosovo, Estonia, Latvia, France, and Germany. The team conducted joint exercises, led training for partner military and police forces, and even had the opportunity to skydive into the celebration for the 78thAnniversary of D-Day at Sainte-Mère-Église in Normandy. Toward the end of his time in Germany, he also had the opportunity to work in assistance of the US Operation Atlantic Resolve after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Finally, in the Summer of 2023, Theo had completed his military service requirement and was faced with the decision of whether to stay in the service or embark on a new path. He knew that his next step would be to attend the next stage of his military education and commit to a full military career. However, even though his military experience had been tremendously rewarding, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay in. Ultimately, he decided he was at a point in his life when he wanted to explore different opportunities and find new challenges. While he found it difficult to turn away from the interesting future military opportunities available to him, he also wanted to explore the options available outside. Time to jump.
After leaving the service, Theo knew he wanted to be closer to family while he pursued his graduate education and was lucky enough to begin studies at UT Austin pursuing a dual degree: a master's in business administration and a master’s in Energy and Earth Resources.
Unexpectedly, faced with more free time than he had possessed for an exceptionally long time, Theo could no longer avoid a dilemma that had been chasing him for years. Always an avid reader, he had avoided writing for a variety of reasons. However, now he realized that he could either start writing, or slowly lose his mind. While the outcome has not been so binary, in February 2026, he self-published his first fantasy novel, Splinters of Heaven, and will be publishing a prequel novella in June 2026. If you can’t find him wandering about in the woods, it is because he is pulling his hair out while working on the manuscript for his next novel. Keep up with him at his website, www.theotsirigotis.com: he’d love to hear from other CMC grads and vets.
Theo offers the following Life Lessons Learned from his experience…take them as you like:
- Live life as if you were living it for the second time. Related lesson: always steal the best quotes. Favorite related book: Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl.
- Do the thing that scares you the most. If there’s a decision in front of you, it’s almost always the choice that scares you the most, and is the right one. Favorite related book: The War of Art, Steven Pressfield.
- Pick your head up and look around. One of the wonderful things about CMC is the infectious enthusiasm and drive of all the people around you. However, driven people can often live their lives very one-dimensionally. Don’t forget about all the other things that matter in life and be just as determined about carving out time for them.