About the Author, Ronald E. Carpenter Jr.

Chief Warrant Officer Five (Ret.) Ronald E. Carpenter Jr. is a decorated U.S. Navy combat veteran, leadership coach, and author of American Halfbreed. Raised in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, Carpenter overcame the challenges of his environment to pursue a life of service, joining the United States Navy after graduating from Kenwood Academy.

During a distinguished 32-year naval career, including 28 years in Naval Special Warfare with the Special Boat Teams, Carpenter led special operations detachments and troops supporting missions around the globe. His combat leadership includes serving as troop commander of Riverine Task Unit Five in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, and boat troop commander in the Republic of the Philippines, earning two Bronze Stars for his leadership and operational excellence.

Carpenter made history as one of the first two warrant officers in Special Boat Team history promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Five (W5), the highest rank attainable for a Navy warrant officer.

Committed to lifelong leadership and service, he holds two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Workforce Education from Southern Illinois University and one in Business from Touro University. He also completed a master's program in business at Trident University International and is a professionally certified executive coach with more than a decade of experience helping individuals and organizations reach peak performance.

Today, Carpenter serves as the president of Support a Future (SAFE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives by providing free bleeding-control training and first aid kits to at-risk communities. Inspired by his personal experiences growing up in Chicago and witnessing the impact of violence, he founded SAFE to unite people and organizations committed to empowering communities and creating safer futures.

Through American Halfbreed, Carpenter shares a powerful story of resilience, identity, and belonging—reflecting on the experiences that shaped his life, his service to the nation, and his commitment to uplifting the next generation. His guiding philosophy remains "Reach one to teach one.”