Mark Erwin never planned to join the U.S. Army. He was a soccer player, but he had no life plan as a teenager.

But the ROTC at Wake Forest interested him, so he joined that as he worked toward his degree in psychology.

“Which you can’t do anything with but go to more school,” Erwin joked.

So, when he graduated and left his soccer career in the rear view mirror, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. He would go on to serve for 26 years, commanding at every level of the Special Mission Unit and was deployed numerous times to countries throughout the Middle East and Africa. He wrapped up his career as Chief of Staff of the United States Army Special Operations Command.

“For me, it was just signing up for what seemed like a cool opportunity and a cool job,” Erwin said of his decision to enlist in the military. “I loved every minute. There was no plan, I assure you that – no plan to make a career out of the Army. It turned out to be the right fit for me. I was always a team sports guy, and the Army felt like a team to me.”

Today, Erwin is CEO of Lofted Spirits, parent company of Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling, along with several offshoot whiskey brands. Erwin likens his current role to his role in the Army.

“Coming out as an officer, you’re kind of like a team captain,” he said. “People skills are important in any environment. As a young guy, I excelled in sports, so you wind up being team captain, and you end up leading. I mean, getting a young team all headed in the same direction.”

He found those leadership skills translated well to the Army and, ultimately, Special Operations.

“To be successful in that organization, you had to believe that organization was more important to you as an individual,” Erwin said, adding that he is trying to apply the same ethic in his current role in the whiskey industry. 

“I’m working to make that work in this world,” he said. “[Special Operations] was a different environment where people wanted to perform to stay part of that organization. I am trying to create that kind of environment here. I think we are creating something unique where people are proud to come to work. That’s what it’s all about for me.”

Lofted Spirits is reflective of Erwin’s service, at least in moments. For example veteran-owned Horse Soldier Bourbon is made by Lofted Spirits. In addition, Green River this year produced a bourbon in tribute to the Army’s 250th anniversary. And to celebrate not only Veteran’s Day but also the Christmas holidays, the brand now offers customized 250th Anniversary bottles for personalized gifts aimed toward proud veterans. The bourbon within is even proofed at 111.1 in honor of Veteran’s Day.

“We’re trying to do as many things as we can around that product,” Erwin said. “It’s a fabulous whiskey.”

And it came about almost by accident – and almost didn’t happen. 

“I got real lucky,” Erwin said. “The army reached out to me and asked if we’d do a whiskey for the Army’s 250th anniversary.” 

Naturally, Erwin agreed, but the next day he got a call from an Army representative saying the project had been called off. Sometime later, a friend of Erwin’s who is a senior official in the Special Ops force called to ask how the project was coming along. Informed by Erwin it had been canceled, his friend apparently pulled some strings behind the scenes.

“The next day it was back on,” Erwin said. 

Six percent of sales of the product benefit the MWR Fund, which directly supports soldiers and their families. And Green River even shot a promotional video for the product at Fort Bragg, in which Erwin makes a prominent appearance.

“I’m proud of the product and proud of the experiences around it,” he said. “Everything around that product has been fun, and we’re selling the heck out of it.”

All of which is to say that, even if joining the Army out of college wasn’t necessarily a plan, the, er, lack of planning worked out well for Erwin. Especially on Veteran’s Day.

“What it does is it makes you think back on all the relationships you’ve had over the years,” Erwin said. “I’m proud to have served and proud to still have that family. It kind of sticks with you. Every day, you just have to remember and think back. It helps others think back on that as well. I appreciate the sacrifices people have put out there.”

-Kevin Gibson

Read more: Green River to Offer Personalized Military Labels