Jarrid Collins

First Sergeant (Ret.) Jarrid Collins is currently Head of Non-Disaster Programs at Operation BBQ Relief, a disaster relief nonprofit organization. Collins is an experienced key note speaker project manager & operational advisor, with a demonstrated history of working in the military industry, intelligence community, interagency & non-profits. He is skilled in leadership coaching, organizational leadership, crisis management, organizational restructuring, emergency management & military liaison.

First Sergeant Collins grew up in a close-knit farming town in rural Northeastern, Montana. An avid athlete, he ran track and played high school football and basketball while also finding time for the speech team, drama club, and restaurant work in his off time. After graduating, he attended college on an athletic scholarship for a few years before enlisting in the U.S. Army on January 3, 1996, as an Intelligence Analyst.

While initially intending to serve for just four years, Collins found the challenging environment rewarding and felt a sense of pride in being able to serve his country. During this period of his service, Collins was fortunate to meet his future wife, Layla. Before long, his desire to continue his physical and mental growth pushed him to seek new opportunities—which led to his selection as a Special Forces Medic in November 2002. In this role, he deployed to Colombia twice and Afghanistan once.

He was wounded twice in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, and The Combat Infantryman's Badge. He was first injured in April 2007, when he was shot in his left arm during a firefight. Despite being wounded, Collins continued to engage the enemy, before eventually performing surgery on himself.

In August 2007, he was wounded a second time by mortar fire. The full extent of his injuries was not initially known, as Collins continued his service and training for selection to a special mission. He continued his service for years, despite battling through severe back and leg injuries and pain.

In 2009, a full two years after being wounded, Collins underwent emergency back surgery at Walter Reed. The goal of the operation was to address the back pain and restore functionality to his leg. After the surgery, Collins returned to the field.

In 2014 Collins , along with his team of doctors, moved forward with a decision to amputate his left leg. After rehabilitation, in the summer of 2014, Collins returned to active duty with the Office of Special Warfare.